\ 


WITHOUT  THE  WALLS 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

HBW  YORK  •   BOSTON  •   CHICAGO  •   DALLAS 
ATLANTA  •   SAN  FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  Limitkd 

LONDON  .  BOMBAY  •   CALCUTTA 
MELBOXntNK 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA,  Dm. 

TORONTO 


WITHOUT  THE  WALLS 

A  READING  PLAY 


BY 

KATRINA  TRASK 

Author  of  "In  the  Vanguard,"  "The  Mighty 
and  the  Lowly,"  etc. 


naeto  gorb 

THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

1919 

AU  right*  r*»»rv»d 


C0PTEI«Hr,  1919 
BY  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.     Published,  April,  1919 


ACT  I 

SCENE  I 


WITHOUT  THE  WALLS 

ACT  I 

SCENE  I 
The  Year  33  a.  d. 

A  Court  in  the  House  of  Jahdiel,  the  Pharisee,  in  the 
City  of  Jerusalem.  The  House  stands  toward 
the  Eastern  Gate  of  the  City,  not  far  from  the 
Temple. 

To  the  right,  a  door  enters  into  the  private  apart- 
ments  of  Alceda,  the  daughter  of  the  House: 
to  the  left,  a  gate  opens  out  on  to  the  main  road: 
in  the  background  is  a  small,  private  gate  that 
opens  on  to  a  by-road. 

The  Court  is  large  and  beautiful,  filled  with  oleander 
trees  in  full  blossom:  beneath  them  are  marble 
seats.  A  fountain  plays  in  the  centre  of  the 
Court:  beside  it  is  a  special  marble  seat  a  little 
apart  from  the  others:  upon  this  is  lying  a  lute 
and  a  scarf  of  gauze. 

Beneath  the  trees  near  the  fountain  a  merry  black- 
eyed  boy  is  lying  lazily  on  his  back,  looking  up, 
through  the  branches  of  the  trees,  to  the  blue  sky. 
3 


4  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

He  is  dressed  in  the  picturesque  parti-coloured 
garments  of  a  house-servant  of  Judea :  he  is  softly 
playing  a  flute. 
A  little  farther  off  sits  a  large  matronly  Hebrew  woman 
intently  sewing  a  bright  coloured  fabric:  she  has 
a  stern  face  and  quick  eager  eyes  that  seem  con- 
stantly on  the  alert:  this  is  Elizabeth  the  nurse  of 
Alceda.  She  looks  with  much  contempt  at  the 
lazy  boy  lying  on  the  grass. 

Elizabeth 

David!     David! 

The  flute  playing  continues. 

Elizabeth 
Is  the  boy  deaf  ?     David! 

David 

Laughing  mockingly. 

"Deaf-David ! "     That  is  not  my  name. 

Elizabeth 
Your  name  makes  not  a  dog's  difference. 
What  I  want  to  know  is  this — have  you  done 
the  work  I  bade  you  do?  Did  you  sweep  the 
inner  Court? — Did  you  bring  the  water  from 
the  well  ? — Did  you  gather  the  rose  leaves  ? 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  5 

David 

Smiling  and  showing  his  very  white  teeth. 

I  did  none  of  these  things — I  have  been  far 
too  busy  all  day  long. 

Elizabeth 
Busy!     Ha,  busy!     This  morning  you  were 
throwing  dice.     I  know  it:  Miriam  saw  you. 
I  will  tell  the  Master. 

David 

Impudently. 

And  I  will  tell  him  it  is  not  true.     He  will  be- 
lieve me :  he  thinks  all  women  are  liars. 

Elizabeth 

Starting. 

How  know  you  that? 

David 
How  do  I  know  when  the  sun  shines,  silly,  or 
when  the  rain  rains  ?     By  using  my  eyes. 

Elizabeth 
Have  you  done  nothing  since  you  came  in  from 
playing  dice?     That  was  three  hours  ago. 


6  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

David 

Mischievously. 

I  have  been  eating  figs. 

Elizabeth 

Scornftdly. 

A  precious  occupation  for  a  full-grown  man. 

David 
Yesterday  you  said  I  was  a  half -grown  boy. 

Elizabeth 
Snappishly.  » 

Yesterday  was  yesterday — to-day  is  to-day. 

David 

Provokingly. 

Ah !  I  have  grown  over  night.  How  fast  things 
grow  in  this  country ! 

He  rises,  stretches  himself,  yawns  lazily  and  walks 
over  to  the  marble  seat  where  the  lute  is  lying: 
he  looks  at  the  lute  seriously  and  kneels  before  it. 

O  silent  lute !  You  are  endowed  with  life  since 
her  dear  fingers  have  touched  you:  she,  the 
fairest  lady  in  Judea,  has  given  you  life. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  7 

Elizabeth 
Is  the  Hebrew  boy  a  heathen  that  he  bends  his 
knee  to  idols? 

David 

Angrily. 

You  fat  foolishness,  I  am  as  much  a  heathen  as 
you  are  a  beauty. 

Elizabeth 
Thanks  be  to  the  Lord,  there  comes  Alceda! 
Be  off  with  you ! 

She  rises  and  goes  toward  him  threateningly:  he  makes 
a  mischievous  grimace.  Alceda  enters:  she  is 
young  and  very  fair  to  look  upon:  her  blue  gar- 
ments are  woven  of  fine  texture  and  overlaid  with 
heavy  embroideries  of  silver  and  gold.  Alceda 
sees  the  grimace:  she  knows  that  there  has  been 
a  conflict  of  words  between  David  and  Elizabeth 
— it  is  an  occurrence  which  frequently  happens. 

Alceda 

In  a  sweet  pleading  voice. 

David. 

David  bows  to  the  ground. 


8  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

David 
Mistress. 

Alceda 

Seriously. 

David,  Elizabeth  is  my  dear  mother-nurse.  If 
you  would  please  me,  you  must  please  her. 

David 

Humbly. 

Yes,  Mistress. 

Alceda 
Smiling. 

Come,  play  me  a  tune  on  your  pretty  flute. 
David 

Aside. 

That  would  please  Elizabeth  about  as  much  as 
it  would  please  her  to  see  a  camel  in  her  closet 
with  her  Sabbath  garments. 

Alceda  sits  on  the  marble  seat  beside  her  lute,  and 
listens  whilst  David  plays.  When  he  finishes 
she  smiles  graciously. 

Alceda 
That  tune  is  very  lovely:   it  sounds  like  the 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  9 

song  birds  singing  their  good-night  amidst  the 
oleander  trees. 

David 

O  Mistress,  you  are  very  kind. 

Alceda 
Now  go,  David,  like  my  dear  carrier-boy  and 
do  the  bidding  of  Elizabeth. 

David 

Bowing  profoundly. 

O  Mistress,  I  would  go  to  death  for  you. 

Exit  David. 

Elizabeth 

Gruffly. 

You  humour  that  boy  far  too  much.     You  will 
spoil  the  little  in  him  that  is  not  already  spoiled. 

Alceda 
Kindness  does  not  spoil:  our  mighty  David 
says — ''Thy  gentleness  hath  made  me  great" — 
gentleness   helps — it   never   spoils.     It   is   so 
pleasant  to  be  kind.     Life  is  a  wonderful  thing. 

She  takes  up  her  lute,  and  passing  her  hand  over  the 
strings  begins  to  play. 


10  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Alceda 

Singing. 

Down  in  the  pool  where  the  lilies  grow, 
Where  the  lovely  water  lilies  blow, 
Where  the  South  wind  stirs  the  almond  tree. 
In  the  pool  with  the  hues  of  the  blue-green  sea, 
To  the  dulcet  sound  of  the  lute's  low  note. 
On  the  waveless  waters  we  will  float. 

Cool  is  the  plash  of  the  water  there. 
Unbind  the  strands  of  the  close-bound  hair. 
Slip  from  the  bosom  the  wimple  white ; 
In  languorous  fragrance  of  the  night. 
To  the  dulcet  sound  of  the  lute's  low  note. 
On  the  waveless  waters  we  will  float. 

Elizabeth 
Your  Father  would  not  like  that  song. 

Alceda 
And  wherefore  not? 

Elizabeth 

Shrugging  her  shoulders. 
Ask  him. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  11 

Alceda 
He  would  not  tell  me  if  I  asked  him — ^he  tells 
me  nothing. 

Elizabeth 
Nay,  not  he! 

Alceda 
Then,  wherefore  ask? 

Elizabeth 
That  you  may  know  there  are  things  you  may 
not  know. 

Alceda 

Ah!     Do  I  not  know  that  too  well! 

Alceda  drops  her  lute  and  goes  to  the  nurse;  she  kneels 
beside  her. 

Alceda 
O  you  who  have  been  more  than  mother  to 
me — tell  me  of  my  Mother ! 

Elizabeth 

Showing  much  agitation. 
Hush! 


12  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Alceda 
Now,  by  the  sun  in  Heaven, — I  will  not  hush ! 
Her  lips  tremble:  tears  come  into  her  eyes. 

Long  ago,  I  saw  a  star-eyed  Spirit  of  the  night, 
bending  above  my  bed — her  garments  were 
fragrant  with  perfume:  her  caressing  arms  en- 
folded me ;  I  heard  a  voice — as  soft  as  Summer 
breezes  murmuring  in  the  olive  trees — and  then, 
she  was  gone — I  was  alone — alone,  with  two 
stern  frowns  as  guardians — that  on  my  Fa- 
ther's brow,  and  that  on  yours.  If  I  said 
* 'Mother"  I  was  buffeted  by  him — and  you 
would  weep :  it  was  not  justice  to  a  little  child. 
At  last,  I  am  a  woman — and  I  would  wed: 
where  is  my  Mother? 

Elizabeth 

Sternly. 

Wherever  the  Great  Jehovah  wills ! 

Alceda 

Impatiently. 

That  is  no  answer. 

Elizabeth 
Hark! — Your  Father's  step  upon  the  porch. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  13 

Straighten   the   loose   strands   of  your   hair! 
Take  your  lute, — and,  if  you  be  wise,  sing  a 
song  of  Israel  and  of  Israel's  God. 
Alceda  takes  the  lute  and  mischievously  sings  the  frag- 
ment of  a  love  song. 

Alceda 

Singing. 

O  sweeter  than  sweets  of  the  honey-flower, 
To  the  golden-throated  bee — 
As  he  sips  her  heart  from  hour  to  hour — 
Is  the  breath  of  my  love  to  me. 

As  Alceda  sings,  Jahdiel,  the  Pharisee,  enters  the 
Court.  He  is  a  tall,  stern-looking  man,  well- 
named.  He  looks  in  very  truth  like  the  "Re- 
venge of  God''  as  his  name  implies.  There  is 
unrelenting  severity  about  his  face,  which  seems 
to  change  the  atmosphere  of  the  Court  from  a 
sunny  playground  to  a  place  of  punishment. 

Jahdiel 

Sternly. 

Silence!     Am  I  to  have  a  lute-playing  idler 
for    a    daughter?     Where    is    your    distaff? 
What  has  become  of  your  spinning  ? 
Alceda  is  silent  for  a  moment;  a  slight  shiver  passes 
over  her  frame;  then  she  lifts  her  head. 


14  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Alceda 
Aside. 

Why  should  I  be  afraid  as  I  have  ever  been 
since  I  was  a  child?     I  am  a  woman  now,  the 
betrothed  of  Tiberius. 
She  goes  timidly  towards  him. 
Will  you  kiss  me,  my  Father? 

Jahdiel 

Turning  away  from  her. 

Wanton  wiles!  You  are  the  daughter  of — 
her  whose  daughter  you  are.  We  will  make  an 
end  of  this.     It  is  time  for  you  to  wed. 

Alceda 

The  colour  rising  to  her  brow,  her  bosom  swelling. 
That  I  know,  Father. 

Jahdiel 
He  comes,  to-day,  to  meet  you.     Your  mar- 
riage portion  is  large,  and  he  has  great  pos- 
sessions.    In  that,  you  are  equal;  but  in  other 
things — ! 

He  breaks  off  suddenly  like  a  snapped  thread — after 
a  moment  he  continues. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  15 

O  God  of  Israel !     I  thank  thee  that  thou  hast 
found  me  worthy  to  send  a  careful  Master  to 
my  House,  who  will  take  this  wild  olive  for  new 
grafting ! 
Alceda  rises  with  dignity. 

Alceda 
And  who  is  this  careful  Master  who  will  take 
me  for  grafting? 

Jahdiel 
It  is  Josephus,  the  Pharisee,  a  great  man  in 
Israel. 

Alceda 

With  eyes  dilating  in  surprise. 

Josephus? — Josephus? — Father,  you  jest! 

Jahdiel 
Do  I  look  like  a  man  who  jests  ? 

Elizabeth 
Aside. 

About  as  much  as  he  looks  like  a  sporting-cock ! 

Alceda 
Father,  at  Harvest  time,  you  said  it  would  be 


16  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

well — as  no  Hebrew  wanted  me  for  wife — if  I 
found  a  Roman  home  and  took  a  Roman  mate : 
you  gave  Tiberius,  the  Roman,  the  hope  that 
he  might  woo  me  for  his  bride :  he  has  wooed — 
and  won! 

Jahdiel 

Indignantly. 

Tiberius?  He  is  of  that  vile  Roman  tribe! 
He  was  well  enough  for  your  portion  if  no 
grapes  grew  in  the  vineyard.  I  was  content  to 
let  an  unsought  maiden  find  a  Roman  bed,  if 
no  son  of  Israel  would  look  upon  her!  It  is 
not  unlawful  to  play  at  odds  with  a  Roman — 
they  play  their  foxy  game  with  us. 

Alceda 
Proudly. 

And  why  should  no  son  of  Israel  look  upon 
me?  I  am  not  ill-favoured — and  I  am  your 
daughter. 

Jahdiel 
There  is  one  who  has  looked  upon  you, — Je- 
hovah be  praised — Josephus!     And  he  will 
stoop  to  wed  you  and  raise  up  children,  not- 
withstanding the  blight  upon  my  House. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  17 

Alceda 

Quickly. 

The  blight?— The  blight?     What  blight,  Fa- 
ther? 

Jahdiel  turns  on  her  a  face  terrible  to  see. 

Jahdiel 

In  a  hissing  tone. 
Shall  I  tell  you? 

Alceda 

Backing   away  from   him   and   closing   her   eyes,   as 
though  about  to  swoon. 

No! — No! — tell  me  not  when  you  look  like 
that. 

Jahdiel 
There  is  no  need  to  swoon — I  had  no  thought 
to  tell  you.     Josephus  will  be  here  at  once.     He 
well  knows  the  blight  upon  my  House  and  yet 
he  takes  you  as  you  are. 

Alceda 

Recovering  herself,  with  an  air  of  audacity. 

I  do  not  know  of  any  blight — and  I  will  not 
take  him  as  he  is ! 


18  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Jahdiel  raises  his  hand  as  if  to  smite  her,  and  then 
reconsiders  the  matter. 

Alceda 
With  a  shudder. 

Father — I  cannot  wed  Josephus.     I  am  prom- 
ised to  Tiberius.. 

Jahdiel 

With  irrevocable  decision  in  his  tone. 

You  are  already  the  wife  of  Josephus — by  my 
word ! 

Alceda 
I  am  already  the  wife  of  Tiberius — by  that 
same  word :  I  will  not  wed  Josephus ! 

Jahdiel 

You  will  not?     Now,  by  the  Law  of  Moses, 
you  will  obey  your  Father ! 

Steps  can  be  heard. 

He  comes — mind  your  manners — be  courteous 
— be  hospitable — he  is  our  guest. 

A  servant  enters  the  Court,  followed  by  Josephus. 
Josephus  is  the  age  of  Jahdiel:  he  is  superbly 
dressed,  but  his  dress  does  not  redeem  the  repel- 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  19 

lent  aspect  of  his  face;  it  is  long,  narrow  and 
sharp:  he  has  a  very  sensual  mouth  with  full 
hanging  under  lip  and  small  eyes  like  a  ferret's. 

Jahdiel 
Welcome,  Friend,  to  my  poor  house. 

Turing  to  Alceda. 

Alceda,  here  is  a  guest  who  honours  our  house 
by  entering.  Josephus,  here  is  your  hand- 
maiden. 

Alceda  hows  with  grace  and  dignity. 

Alceda 
Welcome,  Sir,  to  my  Father's  house. 

Josephus 
O  fairer  than  the  daughters  of  Judea!     Your 
eyes  are  fish-pools,  and  your  lips  have  fed  on 
honey. 

Alceda  flashes  a  scornful  look  at  him  and  walks  out  of 

the  Court. 
Jahdiel  motions  Josephus  to  a  seat. 

Jahdiel 
Sit,  Josephus.     The  day  is  warm.     Alceda  has 
gone  for  cooling  drinks. 

They  sit  on  the  seat  amidst  the  oleanders. 


20  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

And  whilst  you  rest  will  you  forget  a  while  you 
are  a  Pharisee  ? 

JOSEPHUS 

What  mean  you  by  this  sacrilege? 

Jahdiel 

I  mean,  will  you  partake  of  Roman  refresh- 
ment in  the  Roman  manner  which  is  threaten- 
ing our  austerity  in  these  lax  days  ? 

JOSEPHUS 

I  am  the  strictest  of  my  sect  in  the  dogma  of 
the  synagogue,  but — ^but — I  sometimes  yield  to 
Roman  ways — they  are  amusing. 

Jahdiel 

There  are  some  lively  dancers  I  have  mixed 
amongst  the  women-dancers  of  my  house  for 
entertainment.  Herod  hath  set  a  strange  new 
fashion  at  the  Palace.  I  see  you  are  very 
weary  and,  methought,  perchance  it  might  re- 
fresh you  to  indulge  in  new  ways  in  these  new 
days:  the  dancers  are  ready. 


ACT  i]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  21 

JOSEPHUS 

Yes,  I  am  weary.     I  will  relax  my  wonted  aus- 
terity. 
Jahdiel  claps  his  hands:  a  servant  appears. 

Jahdiel 
Bid  the  dancers  come. 

The  servant  goes  out.  A  troop  of  beautiful  maidens 
with  cymbals  dances  in.  Alceda  returns  and  as 
they  dance  she  serves  her  Father  and  her  Father's 
guest,  as  is  fitting  for  a  Hebrew  maiden,  with 
wine  and  syrups:  she  then  takes  her  seat  on  her 
marble  bench,  a  little  apart  beneath  a  hanging 
rose-vine.     The  dancers  sing  as  they  dance: 

Bind  the  flowers  in  your  hair,  I 

Strike  the  cymbals,  maidens  fair, 
As  your  feet  glide  in  and  out 
Wave  your  floating  scarfs  about ; 
Soft  the  tinkling  love-bells  ring, 
Dance  and  sing,  dance  and  sing. 

Now  your  dancing  feet  keep  time. 

To  the  rhythm  and  the  rhyme, 

Of  the  cymbals'  ecstasy. 

Bright  your  shimmering  scarfs  wave  free. 


22  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Soft  the  tinkling  love-bells  ring, 
Dance  and  sing,  dance  and  sing. 

Josephus  regards  the  dancing  girls  with  a  look  Uke  a 
satyr:  he  rubs  his  hands  and  smiles  in  sensuous 
enjoyment. 

Josephus 
It  is  a  pleasant  sight.     You  bring  forth  treas- 
ures for  my  coming,  Jahdiel. 

Jahdiel 
Naught  is  too  fair  to  do  you  honour,  Josephus. 

Josephus 
That  little  one  with  breasts  like  two  does  and 
limbs  like  ivory — who  is  she? 

Jahdiel 
She  is  Rajah — from  the  East. 

Josephus 
I  would  see  her  dance  an  Eastern  dance. 

Jahdiel 

Rajah,  dance  an  Eastern  dance. 

The  others  draw  hack  and  seat  themselves  on  the  grass. 
Rajah  comes  forward  alone. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  23 

The  Dancing  Girls 

Singing  as  Rajah  dances. 

O  joyous  the  hours, 

When  you  dance  'mid  the  flowers, 

With  fairy-like  feet. 

Wafting  fragrance  so  sweet. 

Rajah — Rajah! 

From  East-land,  afar, 
You  come  like  a  star : 
A  twinkling  delight 
To  gladden  our  sight. 
Rajah — Rajah! 
Exit  the  dancers. 

JOSEPHUS 

They  know  how  to  dance:  our  Hebrew  girls 
are  more  beautiful  but  the  women  of  the  East 
have  a  better  understanding  of  man's  desire. 

Jahdiel 
We  of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees  are  not  supposed 
to  know  desire. 

JOSEPHUS 

Giving  Jahdiel  a  lascivious  wink  most  unpleasant  to 
see. 


24  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Man  is  man  whatever  his  sect  may  be. 

He  turns  to  Alceda  with  a  look  in  his  eyes  that  comes 
from  watching  the  dancing. 

Rajah  is  fair  but  Alceda  is  taller  and  more  fair. 

Alceda  draws  her  veil  around  her  which  partly  con- 
ceals her  face  and  her  form. 

Alceda 
Proudly. 

Rajah  is  a  dancing  girl  from  the  heathen  East: 
Alceda  is  a  woman  of  Israel — the  daughter  of 
Jahdiel  of  the  land  of  Judea. 

JOSEPHUS 

Turning  to  Jahdiel. 

In  truth  her  manners  match  her  beauty. 
Jahdiel 

With  dignity. 

She  is  my  daughter. 

Josephus  draws  near  to  Alceda,  looks  her  over  from 
her  head  to  her  feet  with  sensual  eyes  and  reaches 
out  his  hand  caressingly. 

Josephus 

Insinuatingly. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  25 

You  find  favour  in  my  sight,  fair  maiden. 
Alceda  looks  at  him,  sees  the  expression  in  his  eyes 

which  terrifies  her:  she  steps  back,  drawing  her 

veil  around  her. 

Alceda 

In  a  low  strange  voice  unlike  her  own. 
You  do  not  find  favour  in  my  sight. 

JOSEPHUS 
Sharply. 

That  is  unfortunate  as  you  are  to  be  my  hand- 
maiden. 

Alceda 
Proudly. 
It  is  far  from  my  will  and  from  my  purpose! 

Josephus 
Smiling  disagreeably. 

You  are  a  coy  maiden — it  is  not  unpleasant. 

Alceda 

I  am  a  proud  woman :  I  bid  you  farewell. 

Alceda  draws  her  veil  more  closely  around  her  and 
turns  to  walk  away. 


26  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

JOSEPHUS 
To  Jahdiel,  his  anger  rising. 

Is  it  for  this  you  lured  me  with  promise  and 
persuasion  ? 

Jahdiel 

In  anger  to  Alceda. 

By  what  cool  daring  do  you  shame  my  house 
and  contradict  my  words? 

Alceda 
Father— 

Jahdiel  smites  Alceda  on  the  mouth. 

Jahdiel 
To  Josephus. 

She  is  but  a  midget  with  unruly  buzz.  We  will 
tame  her!  All  will  be  well.  Come,  let  us 
leave  her  to  her  medicine;  she  will  be  purged 
and  pliant  by  to-morrow. 

They  start  to  leave  the  Court:  Jahdiel  hows  Josephus 
out  first,  then  turns  to  Alceda  who  stands  still  with 
wide-open  eyes,  her  hands  motionless  where  they 
have  dropped  to  her  sides. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  27 

Jahdiel 
You  hissing  thing !     I  will  instruct  you  in  the 
Tables  of  the  Law. 

Elizabeth  lifts  her  obsequious  form;  a  new  dignity 
conies  upon  her. 

Elizabeth 

Indignantly  to  Jahdiel. 

She  is  but  a  child — my  little  one — a  child  scarce 
weaned  from  the  Mother  she  did  not  know, — 
and  you  have  smitten  her! 

Jahdiel 
And  I  will  smite  you,  also,  and  have  you  beaten 
with  many  stripes,  you  busy-body,  if  you  do 
not  hold  your  tongue ! 

Exit  Jahdiel. 

Elizabeth 

Tenderly. 

My  little  lamb,  my  wounded  lamb — come  to 
my  arms!  Come  lie  upon  my  breast, — and 
feel  the  beating  of  my  heart  for  you ! 

Alceda  looks  straight  before  her  with  wide-open,  un- 
seeing eyes;  she  does  not  move. 


28  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Alceda 
In  a  tense  voice. 

He  smote  me  on  the  mouth — 

Elizabeth 

My  lamb, — my  little  darling  of  the  fold, — 
come,  let  me  comfort  you. 

Alceda 

He  smote  me  on  the  mouth — He  struck  the  lips 
Tiberius  has  kissed!  — 

Elizabeth 
Hoping  to  arouse  her. 

Comes  not  Tiberius  to  the  house  to-day? 

Alceda  starts,  and  throws  off  the  lethargy  that  has  held 
her. 

Alceda 

Eagerly. 

Ah,  yes — the  hour  is  not  far  off.  Come,  wash 
my  face  and  bind  my  hair  and  make  me  ready 
for  my  lord. — 

She  eagerly  starts  to  go  into  the  house  with  the  nurse: 
stopping  at  the  door  she  lays  her  hand  upon  the 
nurse's  arm,  with  fascinating  persuasion. 


ACT  i]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  29 

O  Foster-mother,  will  you  guard  our  speech — 
and  warn  me  if  my  Father  should  return? — I 
think  he  will  not  come  into  the  Court  again  to- 
day— but,  who  can  tell?  He  always  does  the 
thing  I  least  expect.  Tiberius  will  be  here  at 
set  of  sun. 

Elizabeth 
Fear  not,  my  little  lamb,  I  will  watch,  raven- 
eyed,  and  give  the  alarm  if  any  comes  to  break 
upon  your  meeting  hour.  At  set  of  sun,  Ti- 
berius will  find  you  here  amid  the  flowers,  and 
out  of  the  abundance  of  your  two  hearts,  you 
may  speak.  The  little  Eastern  gate  is  locked, 
and  I  will  sit  before  the  Southern  gate  and 
watch  the  main  road. 
Muttering  to  herself,  aside. 

Smite  me — beat  me  with  many  stripes? — In- 
deed !     A  Hebrew  woman  is  a  burdened  beast, 
but,  peradventure  the  beast  may  kick  and  over- 
turn the  pile  of  treasure  on  her  back. 
Aloud. 
Do  not  weep,  my  lamb. 

Alceda 

Drawing  herself  up  proudly  and  brushing  the  tears 
from  her  eyelashes. 


30  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Weep? — And  wherefore  should  I  weep: — I  am 
a  child  no  longer. 

Elizabeth 
Ay,  ay. 
Aside. 

She  has  a  spirit  in  her.  She  is  no  snivel- 
snavel.  And  what  a  look  of  her  Mother  is  in 
her  eyes,  to-day! 


ACT  I 

SCENE  II 


ACT  I 

SCENE  II 

The  Court  in  the  house  of  Jahdiel,  the  same  as  before. 
Alceda  and  Tiberius  on  the  marble  seat  by  the 
fountain. 

Tiberius  is  a  Centurion  of  high  rank.  He  has  the 
characteristic  virility  and  commanding  presence  in- 
herited from  a  long  line  of  distinguished  Romans; 
his  fine  profile  and  changing  eyes  hold  a  dream, 
inherited  from  his  mother,  who  was  a  beautiful 
Greek. 

Alceda 
I  thought  the  hours  were  a  thousand  years,  until 
you  came. 

Tiberius 
To  me  it  has  been  aeons.     My  vestal  Love,  the 
dawn  is  in  your  eyes,  the  dew  of  the  morning  is 
upon  your  lips,  the  purity  of  the  northern  snow 
upon  your  brow. 

Alceda 
Very  seriously. 

Tiberius — 

33 


34  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Tiberius 

Smiling. 

What  a  solemn  and  alarming  note, — "Tibe- 
rius"— you  say  my  name  as  though  you  were 
Atropos. 

Alceda 
Atropos  is  one  of  your  Fates,  is  she  not? — 

Tiberius 
She  it  is  who  cuts  the  thread. 

Alceda 
That  is  what  I  must  do — Cut  the  dear  thread 
between  us  two — 

Tiberius 
Throwing  back  his  fine  head  and  laughing  lightly. 
As  if  you  could ! 

Alceda 
I  cannot — but  I  must! 

Tiberius 
Read  me  your  riddle. 

Alceda 
My  Father  has  forbidden  our  love. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  35 

Tiberius 

Your  Father  gave  me  his  word  that  you  should 
be  my  bride.  You  are  the  bride  of  my  heart — 
no  man  can  put  us  asunder  now. 

Alceda 
Sorrowfully  and  simply. 

He  thought  no  son  of  Israel  would  marry  me 
so  he  permitted  me  to  think  of  a  Roman  al- 
though Rome  is  the  enemy  of  Judea. 

Tiberius 

Surprised. 

Are  the  men  of  Israel  mad,  dead,  dull,  or  are 
they  blind? 

Alceda 

Sorrowfully. 

I  know  not  why,  but  there  is  some  strange 
mystery.  I  am  unlike  the  maidens  of  my  na- 
tion, Tiberius — the  men  of  Judea  shrink  from 
me. 

Tiberius 

Ah!     You  are  strange  indeed  to  them.     They 


36  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

look  for  dull  earth  and  they  find  sparkling 
fire — they  look  for  a  beast  of  burden  and  they 
find  a  winged  bird — they  look  for  virgin  come- 
liness and  they  find  the  blinding  beauty  of  a 
daughter  of  the  Gods. 

Alceda 
That  is  the  favour  of  your  gracious  eyes,  Be- 
loved, but  the  men  of  Judea  do  not  find  me 
beautiful,  they  turn  away  from  me:  but  now 
there  is  one  who  does  desire  me,  who  will  wed 
me — wherefore  my  Father  has  commanded  me 
to  marry  him.  And  he  would  be  wroth  at  me 
for  meeting  you — he  would  curse  you,  Tiberius. 

Tiberius 

Scornfully. 

I  am  a  Roman  citizen — I  fear  not  his  curse. 

Alceda 
Frightened. 

O  Tiberius — you  do  not  tremble?  You  fear 
not  his  curse? 

Tiberius 
No  more  than  I  fear  the  buzzing  of  foolish 
flies. 


ACT  i]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  37 

Alceda 
He  would  marry  me  to  Josephus — the  Pharisee. 

Tiberius 

Indignantly. 

To  Josephus?  Josephus?  Why  not  to  your 
fabled  Methuselah? 

Alceda 

With  unconscious  satire. 

Doubtless  it  would  be  he,  were  he  living  until 
now — for  he  would  have  great  possessions — 
he  would  be  very  rich. 

Tiberius 

Playfully. 

Will  you  be  lured  by  riches  to  Josephus? 

Alceda 

I? — If  he  were  master  of  every  furlong  of 
ground  in  Judea,  if  he  were  overlaid  with  gold, 
studded  with  all  the  jewels  of  the  Orient,  and 
capped  with  pearls  of  great  price — I  would  not 
marry  him ! 


38  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Tiberius 

Tenderly. 

And  Tiberius? 

Alceda 

If  Tiberius  were  an  humble  worker  in  a  vine- 
yard, clad  in  goatskins— with  but  a  penny  a 
day — he  would  be  my  King!  But —  (her 
voice  becomes  low  and  shy)  but  not  my  hus- 
band— lest  I  break  the  Law. 
Tiberius  takes  her  hand  and  kisses  it  reverently. 

Tiberius 

The  Law  of  Love  is  stronger  than  all  laws — 

you  are  to  be  my  wife,  Alceda — ^my  heart-loved 

wife. 

There  is  a  tense  silence:  Alceda* s  soul  is  in  conflict. 

Alceda 
Your  Gods  are  not  my  Gods,  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel  alone  is  my  God. 

Tiberius 
In  Rome  you  may  worship  any  God  that  you 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  39 

desire — in  whatever  way  you  desire.  Your 
God  has  made  you  what  you  are,  I  am  content 
with  Him. 

Alceda 

Much  troubled. 

I  do  not  know — the  way  is  not  clear  to  me — 
His  law  is  unalterable — ' 'Honour  thy  Father 
and  thy  Mother:" — and  yet — and  yet — can  I 
honour  my  Father,  in  truth,  when  that  obedi- 
ence is  founded  on  a  broken  faith — a  broken 
word — to  you? 

Tiberius 
My  sweet  logician,  who  can  say  that  women 
know  not  how  to  reason  ? 

Alceda 

Innocently. 

Does  any  one  dare  to  say  that? 

Tiberius 

Smiling. 

Some  men  have  even  dared  to  say  it. 

Alceda 

With  spirit. 


40  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

They  are  quite  wrong.  We  are  the  true  lo- 
gicians ;  we  have  no  confusion  from  distraction 
as  men  have:  we  go  straight  to  the  heart  of 
things. 

Tiberius 

Embracing  her. 

Yea,  of  all  things;  you  go  straight  to  my  heart! 

Alceda 
Brokenly,  continuing  her  thought  aloud. 

And  then — in  honouring  my  Father  I  must 
dishonour  my  Mother;  he  does  not  honour  her 
— he  never  honours  her. 
The  tears  come  to  Alceda' s  eyes. 
Tiberius,  I  have  no  mother. 

Tiberius 

My  lovely  Flower  of  the  Mountains — your  hus- 
band will  encompass  you,  and  you  will  know 
no  need,  not  even  of  a  mother's  tenderness. 

Alceda 
O  my  Beloved ! 

There  is  silence  in  the  Court  for  a  few  moments. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  41 

Alceda 

Looking  up  suddenly. 

Tiberius,  have  you  seen  the  Nazarene,  again? 

Tiberius 

Yes,  I  have  seen  Him,  and  each  time  I  am  the 
more  convinced  of  His  truth. 

Alceda 

Ah!  He  is  true — I  have  rehearsed  His  words, 
His  looks.  His  bearing — since  that  day  we 
heard  Him  together.  A  strange  sense  stirred 
through  me,  then,  as  I  looked  upon  Him.  My 
heart  said  to  me,  "Here  is  a  man  who  is  not  all 
a  man:  here  is  Truth  incarnate  in  the  flesh." 

Tiberius 

Thoughtfully. 

My  mind  is  divided  about  this  Jesus.  I  do  not 
feel  that  He  is  a  stirrer-up  of  strife;  but  I  fear 
He  is  an  impractical  dreamer  who  spins  a  web 
of  wild  folly,  in  which  He  catches  the  common 
folk  to  their  undoing. 

Alceda 
I  long  to  hear  Him  again  but  I  fear  my  Fa- 


42  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

then  he  thinks  He  is  very  evil  and  should  be 
crucified. 

Tiberius 

With  emphasis. 

If  Pilate  should  consent  to  that,  he  will  be 
anathema  in  history.  I  think  the  man  of 
Nazareth  is  partly  mad,  but  even  if  He  be  mad, 
it  is  a  harmless  madness. 

Alceda 

Emphatically. 

He  is  not  mad — He,  of  all  men,  is  most  sane. 

Tiberius 
You  say  that  with  conviction. 

Alceda 
I  know  it !     It  seems  as  if  Jehovah  whispers  it 
in  my  heart. 

Tiberius 

Reflecting. 

Often  I  think  He  is  mad.  He  says  words  of 
pure  folly.  Listen  to  the  wild  words  I  heard 
Him   say  but   yesterday.     The   crowds   were 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  43 

thronging  about  Him :  He  stood  upon  the  steps 
of  the  Temple;  He  was  like  one  of  the  pillars 
in  Solomon's  porch,  tall  and  straight.  He 
lifted  up  His  voice  and  cried:  ^'If  any  man 
thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink.'' — 
Babbling  words  that  no  man  could  understand. 
A  glowing  light  comes  into  Alceda's  eyes. 

Alceda 

Did  He  say  that,  Tiberius,  did  He  say  that? 
Oh!     That  is  not  folly!  that  is  not  madness! 

Tiberius 

And  could  my  Alceda  comprehend  those 
words  ?  If  you  are  athirst,  my  Love,  I  have  a 
potion  in  my  lips  for  you. 

Alceda 

With  sweet  seriousness. 

O  Tiberius,  too  well  I  comprehend  those 
words!  There  has  ever  been  a  longing — a 
thirst — in  my  soul:  my  soul  pants  as  a  hart 
panteth  after  the  water-brooks — for  something 
— something — to  satisfy  it — I  cannot  tell:  al- 
ways I  have  had  it — always — always:  when  I 


44  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

was  a  little  child,  as  I  reached  toward  the 
miracle  of  the  rosy  sunrise — toward  the  glory 
of  the  sunset — toward  the  shining  splendour  of 
the  golden  stars — toward  the  silver  mystery 
of  the  silent  moon.  When  all  things  beautiful 
spoke  to  me,  when  all  things  musical  swept 
through  me — the  wind  in  the  trees — the  song 
of  the  brook — the  solemn  swell  of  the  song  in 
the  Temple  as  it  carried  my  thoughts  away — 
always  this  thirst  for  something — I  know  not 
what.  It  is  like  sharp  pain — I  used  to  think 
that  it  was  love  I  waited  for,  and,  at  first  when 
you  came  and  when  you  kissed  me — I  was  con- 
tent. 

He  attempts  to  embrace  her — she  stays  him  with  up- 
lifted  hand. 

No — no — not  yet — ^let  me  tell  you  all — I  want 
you  to  know  my  heart — your  love  did  content 
me,  but  it  did  not  stop  that  strange  thirst  within 
my  soul.  Sometimes — even  when  I  am  in  your 
arms — when  I  am  happiest  in  you,  beyond  all 
mortal  telling — something  rises  in  my  soul — 
some  passionate  thirst — a  longing  for  that 
which  is  beyond  this  earth — for  clear  water 
for  my  soul  to  drink  which  even  you  cannot 


ACT  i]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  45 

give  me.  It  is  as  though  I  longed  to  drink  of 
God.  Perchance  He — this  Nazarene — can  tell 
me  where  to  find  that  for  which  my  soul  longs — 
even  when  I  am  happiest. 

Tiberius 

Tenderly. 

My  Flower  of  the  Mountains,  that  thirst  is  very 
easy  to  comprehend.  I  can  explain  it  to  you. 
You  were  born  for  freedom,  as  the  birds  fly  up- 
ward, and  you  are  bound  in  shackles  by  the 
bondage — the  institutions  of  this  cursed  coun- 
try; your  Church,  your  Laws,  hold  you  in  a 
prison  of  the  spirit, — it  is  the  longing  of  your 
soul  to  spread  its  wings  against  your  heritage. 
I  think  the  Nazarene  understands  this  bondage 
of  tradition :  He  wants  to  make  men  free. 

Alceda 
If  He  could  lead  me  out  from  the  bondage  of 
the  Church  of  Israel — and  yet,  let  me  keep  my 
God — then,  would  I  follow  Him. 

Tiberius 
When  you  are  my  wife  you  shall  be  free  as  air: 
f        you  may  follow  Him  if  you  desire,    We  will 


46  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

hear  Him  and  weigh  His  words.  If  they  be 
only  of  Earth,  at  least  they  will  be  a  diversion 
to  our  minds: if  He  be  a  Prophet,  and  has  come 
from  the  Gods,  we  will  learn  of  Him  together. 

Alceda 

Tenderly  laying  her  hand  upon  Tiberius*  arm. 

Tiberius,  I  often  think  you  are  very  near  to 
God,  so  well  you  comprehend. 

Tiberius 

Solemnly. 

When  a  man  loves — he  is  always  near  to  God. 

The  Nurse  is  heard  singing  in  a  high  cracked  voice. 

Elizabeth 
Singing. 

The  little  lamb  wandered  from  the  fold. 
From  the  guarding  shepherd's  eye — 

Alceda 

Excitedly,  springing  to  her  feet. 

Quick! — Quick! — Tiberius! — It  is  the  sign— 
my  Father  is  coming  down  the  road ! 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  47 

Tiberius 

Quietly. 

I  will  await  him  here  and  speak  with  him.  I 
have  aught  to  say  to  him. 

Alceda 

Eagerly. 

Oh,  not  now — not  to-day — He  is  very  angry — 
I  did  not  tell  you  what  happened  this  morning, 
before  you  came — He  would  kill  you. 

Tiberius 
I  am  a  Roman  citizen ! 

Alceda 
He  does  not  care. 

Tiberius 

But  he  knows  the  consequences — ^he  would  not 
chance  them. 

Alceda 

Then,  he  will  kill  me !  Do  not  wait,  oh,  do  not 
wait — you  may  come  again,  but  not  to-day — 
Go !     Go,  if  you  love  me ! 


48  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Tiberius 

Rising. 

By  that  command,  I  go ! 

Elizabeth 

Singing. 

The  little  lamb  wandered  from  the  fold, 
From  the  guarding  shepherd's  eye — 

Alceda 
Quick!     The  garden  gate, — he  comes  by  the 
highway — 

She  hurries  him  to  the  gate,  and  unlocks  it  with  a  key 
that  hangs  from  her  girdle;  she  opens  the  door, 
and,  in  agitation,  tries  to  hurry  him  out. 

Tiberius 

Pausing  on  the  threshold. 
Beloved,  you  are  mine  ? 

Alceda 

Trembling. 

For  ever  and  for  ever.  But  wait  a  few  days  be- 
fore you  face  my  Father — until  this  storm  is 
past. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  49 

Tiberius   » 
You  will  not  marry  Josephus? 

Alceda 
Never !  — Quick,  Tiberius !     Go ; — he  comes. 

Exit  Tiberius. 
Alceda  goes  swiftly  into  the  house. 


ACT  I 

SCENE  in 


ACT  I 

SCENE  III 

The  next  day.     The  Court  the  same  as  before.     David, 
playing  on  his  flute.     Enter  Elizabeth. 

Elizabeth 
Still  the  toot-tooting  on  that  foolish  flute? 

David 

Impudently. 

Still  the  wag- wagging  of  that  foolish  tongue? 

Elizabeth 
Have  you  done  your  work? 

David 

Do  you  not  see  how  hard  I  toil? 

Elizabeth  walks  over  to  the  seat  and  picks  up  a  scarf 
and  a  little  bag. 

Elizabeth 
Come,  carry  these  things  into  the  house  and  tidy 
up  the  Court — a  guest  comes,  shortly. 

53 


54  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

David 
Who  is  it? 

Elizabeth 
Never  you  mind. 

David 
Who  is  it? 

Elizabeth 
Josephus. 

David 
Josephus,  the  Pharisee?     I  will  not  tidy  up  the 
Court  for  him :  I  do  not  like  him ! 

Elizabeth 
Like  him  or  no  like  him,  he  is  a  friend  of  the 
Master. 

David 

Winking. 

He  doesn't  come  here  to  see  the  Master. 

Elizabeth 
How  do  you  know? 

David 
He  has  his  ferret  eyes  on  Alceda. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  55 

Elizabeth 

Who  cannot  resist  the  opportunity  of  a  little  gossip. 
Ha !     He  wants  to  marry  her. 

David 

Marry    her?     Marry    her?     Mighty    Moses! 
Do  jackals  marry  nightingales? 

Elizabeth 

He'll  not  marry  her!   be  at  rest.     She'll  not 
have  him ! 

David 

I  will  break  his  precious  neck  for  him  before  he 

marries  her. 

David  begins  to  play  upon  his  flute  again. 

Elizabeth 
That  flute  keeps  piping  like  the  wind  in  winter. 

David,  suddenly,  is  attracted  by  something  in  the  grass : 
he  gets  up  and  looks  at  it  and  when  Elizabeth's 
head  is  turned  he  picks  up  a  lizard  and  mischie- 
vously holds  it  behind  him  and  walks  over  to 
where  Elizabeth  has  taken  a  seat.  He  leans  over 
her  shoulder  from  the  back  and  says: 


56  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

David 

Don't  be  cross,  Elizabeth. 

At  the  same  time  he  puts  the  lizard  on  her  back  where 
it  begins  to  crawl  up  toward  her  neck. 

Elizabeth 
I'll  not  be  cross  if  you'll  behave  yourself. 

David 

Shall  I  tell  you  a  story,  Elizabeth? 

Elizabeth 

Gruffly. 

Goon. 

David 

Once  there  was  a  lizard — a  nice,  soft,  slimy, 
fat,  green  lizard — alas !  he  was  possessed  of  a 
devil. 

Elizabeth 
Hear  the  boy  1      It  makes  my  ears  ache  to  hear 
him  talk. 

David 
I'll  be  silent,  then. 

Elizabeth 
Go  on  about  your  lizard. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  57 

David 

This  lizard  was  quite  mad :  he  could  not  see  the 
country  round  about  because  the  walls  were  too 
high  and  shut  in  the  garden:  at  last  one  day 
he  saw  a  high  hill — so  high  that  he  thought  he 
could  see  the  world  from  the  top  of  it,  so  he 
began  to  climb  and  climb  and  crawl  and  crawl. 

David  is  watching  the  lizard  as  it  begins  to  crawl  up 
Elizabeth's  back. 

Elizabeth 
Why  are  you  looking  at  me  like  that? 

David 

Laughing. 

Because  you  are  so  beautiful. 

.        Elizabeth 
You  little  black-eyed  viper! 

David 

The  lizard  climbed  and  climbed  and  crawled 
and  crawled.  The  hill  was  very  slippery  and 
hard  to  travel :  he  knew  that  it  was  a  dangerous 
hill  but  high  up  at  the  top  of  it  he  saw  some- 


58  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

thing  all  soft  and  white — not  white  exactly  but 
yellow-white.  It  made  the  lizard  very  curious 
to  see  what  it  was:  he  said  within  himself,  "If 
I  can  reach  that  white  landing  place,  perhaps, 
I  can  see  the  world,"  so  he  moved  his  slimy  little 
green  legs  faster  and  faster — but  a  lizard  is 
very  slow  and  the  little  white  place  looked  miles 
away :  he  did  not  know  what  it  was — but  I  will 
tell  you  what  it  w^as — it  was  the  neck  of 
Elizabeth! 

Elizabeth  jumps  up  and  screams  and  begins  to  try  to 
reach  her  back. 

Elizabeth 
Where  is  it?     Where  is  it?     Take  it  off — ^take 
it  off !     Oh,  you  young  devil,  take  it  off ! 
She  jumps  around  in  a  wild  way  in  trying  to  get  rid 
of  the  lizard  which  she  cannot  reach:    at  that 
moment  she  feels  the  feet  of  the  lizard  upon  her 
neck.     David  throws  back  his  head  and  laughs 
loudly. 

David 

Singing. 

Oh,  joyous  the  hours, 

That  you  dance  'mid  the  flowers. 

Rajah!  Rajah! 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  59 

Elizabeth  continues  to  jump  around  as  she  throws  off 
the  lizard:  then  she  runs  after  David  who,  laugh- 
ing, escapes  her:  he  runs  out  of  the  main  gate  of 
the  garden.  Elizabeth  with  lifted  hand  runs  after 
him. 

Elizabeth 

In  a  loud  threatening  voice. 

You  son  of  Beelzebub ! 

At  this  moment  Josephus,  very  stern  and  solemn,  enters 
the  gate. 

Josephus 
Woman!     Is    this    a    seemly   welcome    to    a 
friend's  house? 

Elizabeth 

Making  a  low  obeisance. 

Forgive  me,   Sir.     I  did  not  know  of  your 
presence. 

Josephus 
Is  it  your  custom  to  stand  at  the  gate  of  the 
house  and  cry  aloud  to  Beelzebub? 

Elizabeth 
It  is  my  custom  to  chase  devilish  boys  out  of 
the  gate. 


60  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

JOSEPHUS 
I  saw  no  boy. 

Elizabeth 
He  ran  out  as  you  came  in. 

JOSEPHUS 

I  saw  no  boy. 

Elizabeth 

Startled. 

He  vanished  like  smoke!  Verily  he  is  a  son 
of  Satan. 

JOSEPHUS 

Where  is  your  Mistress?  Your  Master  told 
me  I  should  find  her  in  the  Court. 

Elizabeth 

It  is  beyond  the  hour  that  she  was  to  come  into 
the  Court.  I  will  tell  her  that  you  await  her 
here. 

Elizabeth  goes  into  the  house  to  find  Alceda. 

Josephus 

Alceda  is  coming:  her  beauty  moves  the  slug- 
gish blood  within  my  veins.     I  would  hasten 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  61 

the  time  to  possess  her:  a  kiss  from  her  ruby 
lips  will  warm  my  blood — the  thought  of  it 
stirs  that  cold  stream  even  now:  and  her  soft 
hands  toying  about  my  neck  will  quicken  my 
dulled  pulses:  she  will  be  hard  to  manage  for 
she  inherits  high  spirits  as  well  as  fair  flesh — 
but  I  will  not  spare  the  rod  when  it  is  neces- 
sary and  if  the  rod  upon  her  flesh  fails  to  do 
its  work — (he  smiles)  then  I  have  a  rod  to 
hold  over  her  spirit  that  will  not  fail.  Her 
Father  says  she  does  not  know — ^but  that  igno- 
rance shall  be  ended  soon.  Upon  her  bridal 
night,  after  I  have  had  my  pleasure  with  her, 
I  will  tell  her  the  ghastly  tale:  it  will  terrify 
her,  and  serve  to  keep  her  virtuous. 
Enter  Alceda. 

Alceda 

Proudly. 

My  Father  said  that  you  would  speak  with  me. 

JOSEPHUS 
Bowing  low — in  a  patronising  voice. 

You  know  the  purport  of  my  coming !  I  have 
decided  to  make  you  my  wife  and  the  mother 
of  my  sons ! 


62  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Alceda 

Verily,  a  weighty  decision  for  a  man — without 
consideration  of  the  woman  he  has  chosen. 

Josephus  puts  his  hand  into  his  garments  and  brings 
out  a  string  of  magnificent  rubies,  which  he  offers 
to  Alceda. 

Josephus 

Here  are  some  baubles  for  you  to  play  with, 
Maiden;  they  are  worth  a  king's  ransom. 

Alceda's  hands  drop  motionless  to  her  sides;  she  looks 
at  Josephus  with  quiet  scorn. 

Alceda 

I  give  you  thanks,  but  I  may  not  take  the 
jewels!      They  are  for  bartering;  I  am  not  a 
thing  offered  in  the  market-place,   I  am  not 
sold  for  rubies ! 
Josephus  looks  at  Alceda  in  surprise  and  anger. 

Josephus 

They  are  not  for  bartering;  they  are  for  the 
wife  of  Josephus:  and  many  others  wait  for 
her  like  them^  save  in  colour — diamonds,  sap- 
phires, and  many  stones  of  flashing  beauty. 


ACT  i]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  63 

Alceda 
Alceda  has  naught  to  do  with  the  wife  of 
Josephus  nor  with  her  jewels. 

JOSEPHUS 

Alceda  and  my  wife  are  the  same — ^by  the  word 
of  Jahdiel.  Come,  come,  my  beauty,  give  me 
those  lips. 

Alceda 
Not  if  I  lengthen  my  life — by  so  doing. 
He  steps  toward  her. 

Josephus 
I  will  not  longer  wait  for  the  kiss  that  I  desire. 

Alceda 
If  you  reach  my  lips  they  will  be  the  cold  lips 
of  a  corpse. 

Josephus 
You  refuse  to  be  my  wife? 

Alceda 
I  was  not  made  for  dotards — nor  for  those  who 
have  sacrificed  for  years  to  a  carnal  god. 

Josephus*  eyes  narrow;  he  looks  more  like  a  ferret  than 
ever. 


64  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

JOSEPHUS 

You  are  brazen  for  one  so  young. 

Alceda 
With  new  dignity. 

You  take  liberties — for  one  so  old ! 

JOSEPHUS 
With  venom  in  his  speech. 

It  is  not  for  you  to  refuse  an  honourable  mate: 
the  daughter  of  Rachel  the  sinner  may  not  pick 
and  choose! 

Alceda 

Poignantly. 
My  Mother — ? 

JOSEPHUS 

In  a  snarling  tone. 

Ay,  your  Mother! 

Alceda 

Slowly,  as  though  speaking  against  her  will. 
What  of  my  Mother? 

Josephus 

Looking  at  Alceda  narrowly  and  speaking  slowly. 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  65 

I  will  tell  you  of  your  Mother:  she  broke  the 
Law,  she  was  stoned  without  the  Walls:  she 
lay  a  bruised  and  bleeding  mass  for  vultures — 
as  was  meet  for  such  an  one — and  yet  I  will 
marry  her  daughter! 

Alceda  puts  her  hand  to  her  heart ,  and  leans  against  a 
tree. 

Alceda 

In  a  tense  voice. 

O  God  in  Heaven — it  is  not  true ! 

JOSEPHUS 

Ay,  it  is  true.  Her  daughter  is  disgraced — 
but  I  will  take  her  to  wife,  for  her  Father's 
sake,  {aside)  and  for  her  beauty's  sake — she  is 
very  desirable. 

Alceda 

O  God  in  Heaven,  can  it  be  true? 

JOSEPHUS 

Ay,  it  is  true,  I  tell  you;  I  was  there!  I 
watched  it  all.  I  saw  the  deed  of  justice  done 
— I  saw  her  die — it  was  a  sight  of  terror  and 
of  blood :  the  beauty  that  had  led  to  her  undo- 
ing was  a  bruised  and  bleeding  mass  of — 


66  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Alceda  starts  out  of  her  lethargy,  a  jury  blazes  within 
her:  she  looks  upon  Josephus  as  though  she  would 
scorch  him. 

Alceda 

In  a  tone  of  ringing  command. 
Out  of  my  sight, — you  fiend  of  Hell !     Before 
I  pluck  from  out  your  head  the  wanton  eyes  that 
looked  upon  that  scene — if  it  were  true ! 

Josephus 

Shrugging  his  shoulders. 

Ah !  I  go,  with  thanksgiving  to  be  rid  of  you ! 
I  should  have  known  that  a  serpent's  offspring 
will  always  hiss  at  last! 

Alceda 
Go,  you  whited  sepulchre,  full  of  stale  and 
filthy  sins ! 

Exit  Josephus:  enter  Elizabeth. 
Alceda  stands  as  though  turned  to  stone — motionless, 
silent. 

Elizabeth 

What  have  they  done  to  you,  my  lamb? 
Alceda  does  not  answer;  Elizabeth  goes  up  to  her,  takes 
her  hands  and  chafes  them. 


ACT  i]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  67 

Speak  to  me,  my  lambkin,  speak  to  me! — I 
nursed  you  on  my  breast. 

Alceda 
As  though  in  a  dream,  to  herself. 
Rachel — my  Mother — a  sinner !  — Stoned  with- 
out the  Walls — stoned  without  the  Walls ! 

Elizabeth 

In  a  voice  of  terror. 

God  of  my  Fathers — who  has  told  you  this 
thing  ? 

Alceda  turns  quickly  and  seizing  Elizabeth's  arm,  holds 
it  as  if  in  a  vice. 

Alceda 
Is  it  true? — Elizabeth,  is  it  true? 

Elizabeth  stands  silent  with  bowed  head. 

Alceda 

In  a  tone  of  despair. 

You  dare  not  lie! — It  is  true! — and  I — and  I 

— am — Oh,  Tiberius! 

Alceda  throws  herself  upon  the  ground,  buries  her  face 
on  her  arms  and  begins  to  sob.  Elizabeth  goes  to 
her  and  bends  over  her. 


68  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Elizabeth 
Hush!  my  little  lamb,  hush  you.     Do  not  lie 
upon  the  hard  ground.     Come  to  my  arms. 

Alceda  still  sobs  and  pays  no  attention  to  Elizabeth. 
Elizabeth  sits  on  one  of  the  marble  seats  and  looks 
at  her  in  despair. 

Come,  and  I  will  tell  you  of  your  Mother! 

Alceda  stops  sobbing  and  rises  quickly:  she  runs  to 
Elizabeth,  falls  on  her  knees,  clasping  her  hands 
on  Elizabeth's  lap. 

Alceda 
Tell  me !     You  never  would  tell  me.     I  teased 
you  so  often,  but  you  never  would. 

Elizabeth 
I  never  could!     You  did  not  know  the  awful 
truth  and  your  Father  bade  me  be  silent,  under 
pain  of  parting  from  you  and,  therefore,   I 
never  spoke. 

Alceda 
Quick!     I  wait.     Tell  me,  now! 

Elizabeth 
I  came  with  your  Mother  from  her  Father's 
house  in  Lebanon,  when  she  was  brought  to 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  69 

Jahdiel — a  bride — and  I  was  with  her  to  the 
end. 

Alceda 
Tell  me  of  her! 

Elizabeth 
She  was  as  beautiful  as  night:  her  eyes  were 
like  twin  stars:  her  lips  were  like  scarlet  ber- 
ries in  the  sunshine,  and  they  laughed  always. 
She  was  a  singing  bird,  and  her  voice  echoed 
through  the  halls  of  the  house  and  through  the 
courts,  from  early  morning  to  evening,  until 
Jahdiel  silenced  her.  When  you  were  coming, 
a  new  joy  possessed  her — she  was  very  glad. 
Sometimes,  she  would  throw  herself  into  my 
arms  and  say:  "Elizabeth,  perhaps  my  child 
may  be  the  Messiah — "  and  then  we  would 
talk  and  dream  of  so  great  a  glory. 

Alceda 

Sorrowfully. 

And  when  I  came,  I  was  only  a  girl,  after  all. 

Elizabeth 
You  were  only  a  girl  after  all.     That  was  a 
thing  which  Jahdiel  could  not  forgive.     Time 


70  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

went  on;  a  stranger  came  from  Damascus,  he 
was  often  at  the  house:  Rachel  talked  less  and 
less  to  me;  she  seemed  to  have  a  secret  which 
she  kept  hidden  in  her  heart.  Jahdiel  grew 
more  and  more  pitiless  to  her — and  then  the 
end! 

Alceda 
Tell  me  of  the  end ! 

Elizabeth 
No,  my  lamb,  you  do  not  want  to  hear  of  that. 

Alceda 
It  is  of  that  I  want  to  hear ! 

Elizabeth 

I  cannot  tell  you,  for  I  know  it  not!  I  was 
not  there.  The  last  I  saw  of  her,  great  men 
of  the  Synagogue  were  on  either  side  of  her: 
they  led  her  out  through  that  gate  (pointing  to 
the  large  gate) .  Jahdiel  stood  watching.  My 
heart  yearned  over  her  and  I  started  to  go  to 
her,  but  Jahdiel  held  me  back  and  said  in  stern 
tones:  "Hence,  woman!  Rachel  has  broken 
the  law  and  if  you  would  keep  the  law,  yourself, 
you  will  not  countenance  her  nor  speak  to  her, 


ACT  i]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  71 

but  let  her  bear  the  burden  of  her  sin."  Your 
Mother  turned  and  faced  me  where  I  stood.  I 
shall  never  forget  the  look  in  her  eyes — it  was 
the  look  of  death  in  life,  but  there  was  not  a 
trace  of  fear.  With  a  loud  voice,  she  cried: 
'^Elizabeth,  your  promise!  Take  care  of  my 
Alceda ! "  Then  she  walked  through  the  gate 
with  head  high  lifted:  and  I  went  into  the 
house,  and  took  you  into  my  arms,  and  prayed 
to  the  great  Jehovah  that  I  might  be  a  mother 
to  the  little  motherless  child. 

Alceda 
And  you  have  been  a  mother  to  me,  always,  my 
Elizabeth !      {In  a  low  tone. )     Was  she  stoned, 
Elizabeth?     Was  my  Mother  really  stoned? 

Elizabeth 

I  suppose  so,  I  never  asked!  They  told  me 

she  had  sinned  with  the  man  she  loved — the 
man  who  loved  her ! 

Alceda 

Sobbing. 

O  my  Mother  I     My  Mother !     My  poor,  beau- 


72  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

tiful  Mother!  (After  a  pause.)  Where  was 
he,  Elizabeth — the  man  she  loved? — the  man 
who  brought  her  to  that  pass?  Did  he  not 
fight  to  save  her? — Was  he  not  stoned  beside 
her? 

Elizabeth 
No,  no,  my  child.     Men  are  not  often  stoned 
for  love — it  is  the  women  who  are  always 
stoned  for  love! 

Alceda 
Is  it  not  as  wicked  for  a  man  to  sin,  as  it  is  for 
a  woman  to  sin  ? 

Elizabeth 
That  is  a  thing  I  have  never  been  able  to  un- 
derstand. I  have  pondered  it  long;  the  man 
usually  escapes:  it  seems  to  me  more  wicked 
for  the  man — he  is  the  one  who  tempts.  He 
whispers  in  her  ear,  like  Satan,  things  that  the 
woman  has  never  thought  of:  but  the  priests 
say  not  so.  Man  is  man  and  woman  is 
woman ! 

Alceda 
I  do  not  think  men  tempt  us.     It  is  only  that 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  73 

they  are  strong  we  trust  them  utterly.  Love 
is  so  very  sweet ! 

Elizabeth 
Ah!    you  do  not  know  men!     They  are  all 
alike :  their  hearts  are  evil ! 

Alceda 
And  women  are  their  mothers!  If  men  are 
evil,  it  is  woman's  fault.  Why  does  she  not 
make  men  different? — she  has  the  shaping  of 
them.  But,  oh,  it  is  hard  for  woman  to  be 
alone  in  the  stoning! 

Alceda  raises  her  head  and  after  a  brief  pause  says 
with  a  light  breaking  over  her  face. 

There  is  justice  in  the  great  injustice,  after 
all!  The  apocalyptic  glory  comes  to  woman: 
she  is  the  mother  of  sons,  the  ecstasy  is  hers, 
and  as  she  has  the  greater  glory  she  also  must 
keep  the  greater  care,  she  should  also  have  the 
finer  virtue.  I  have  always  thought  that  when 
I  had  sons — but  now,  oh,  now — I  must  forgo 
my  life ! 

Elizabeth 
Do  you  think  you  must,  my  lamb? 


74  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  i 

Alceda 

In  deep  sorrow. 

Yes — I  am  a  child  of  my  Mother!  I  share 
her  punishment!  I  am  cut  off  from  all 
things !  Elizabeth,  I  must  go  to  meet  Tiberius 
and  tell  him  we  must  part!  No  one  can  bear 
that  message  to  him, — I  must  take  it  to  him 
myself.  I  will  meet  him  on  the  way.  He  is 
coming  to  the  house  to-morrow.  Will  you 
watch  in  the  Court  for  me  whilst  I  am  gone? 

Elizabeth 
I  will  watch,  my  lamb !  If  you  must  go,  you 
must!  (Aside.)  It  were  well  that  she  should 
be  saved  from  Rome!  (Alceda  sobs.)  Do 
not  weep,  my  Nursling!  Do  not  weep — all 
will  be  well ! 

Alceda 

Looking  up  through  her  tears. 

Do  all  men  blame  women?  Do  all  men  think 
that  the  woman  is  to  blame,  and  that  she  should 
be  stoned? 

Elizabeth 
Our    Father   Adam    told    Jehovah    that    the 


ACT  I]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  75 

woman  had  tempted  him,  and  since  the  time  of 
Adam  all  men  have  said  the  same  thing. 

Alceda 

Aside. 

O  Tiberius !     How  can  I  bear  your  condemna- 
tion of  my  Mother,  when  I  tell  you  of  her  sin? 


ACT  II 
SCENE  I 


ACT  II 

SCENE  I 

The  next  day:  noon.  A  resting  seat  in  a  grove  of 
trees,  on  the  edge  of  the  road,  about  half  a  furlong 
from  the  House  of  Jahdiel,  the  Pharisee. 

Tiberius  is  sitting  on  the  seat,  and  looking  down  the 
road. 

Tiberius 

A  messenger  met  me  here,  and  stopped  my 
speeding.  He  bade  me  wait;  he  said  that 
Alceda  would  come  to  me.  It  were  better  that 
I  had  gone  to  her  Father^s  house,  but  I  obey, 
and  await  her  coming:  when  I  have  talked 
with  her  then  will  I  go  and  face  him  to  say 
my  say — this  time  I  will  have  my  own  way 
— it  is  the  wiser. 

Alceda  comes  down  the  road,  closely  veiled;  Tiberius 
rises  and  walks  toward  her,  with  outstretched  hand. 

Tiberius 
Beloved! 

79 


80  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Alceda 

In  a  dead,  colourless  voice. 

I  have  come  to  tell  you  you  must  never  enter 
my  Father's  house — you  must  never  ask  him 
for  me — there  is  no  need. 

Tiberius 

In  a  tone  of  anxiety. 

My  Flower  of  the  Mountains,  my  Heart  of 
Hearts — what  has  befallen  you? 

Alceda 
I  have  dared  all  things  to  meet  you,  here — 
you  must  not  see  my  Father — there  is  no  need, 
Tiberius,  we  must  part ! 

Tiberius 

Tossing  his  head  proudly. 

Part? — When  the  sun  falls  from  heaven  and 
all  the  stars  are  out  of  place,  then  shall  we 
part! 

Alceda 

In  a  lifeless  tone  of  deep  sorrow. 

My  sun  has  fallen  from  heaven,  Tiberius,  and 
all  my  stars  are  out  of  place ! 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  81 

Tiberius 
'Tis  then  you  need  me,  little  Flower. 

Alceda 
Tensely,  still  in  a  colourless  tone  as  though  she  had 
schooled  herself  for  this  moment. 

Tiberius,  my  Mother — my  Mother — 

Tiberius 
What  of  your  Mother? 

Alceda 
O  Tiberius,  she  was  a  sinner. 

Tiberius 

Reassuringly. 

Then  she  but  shared  the  lot  of  the  world:  we 

are  all  sinners,  Alceda. 

Alceda 

With  wild-eyed  terror. 

My  Mother  was  the  worst  of  sinners — Tiberius 

— I  have  come  to  tell  you  a  dreadful  thing — 

Oh !  how  can  I  tell  it — help  me,  Jehovah !    My 

Mother    was    stoned    without    the    Walls    of 

Jerusalem. 


82  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Tiberius 

Quietly. 

And  if  she  were? 

Alceda  looks  at  him  eagerly,  surprised  at  his  quiet  tone. 

Alceda 
I  am  her  daughter — 

Tiberius 

Taking  her  hand. 

My  lovely  Lily  of  the  Mountains,  come  home 
to  my  heart! 

Alceda 

Despairingly. 

Tiberius,  you  do  not  understand — you  do  not 
know  what  that  means. 

Tiberius 

I  do  understand — I  know  too  well.     It  means 
the  cursed  cruelty  of  Israel. 

Alceda 
It  means  that  I  must  give  you  up. 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  83 

Tiberius 
Tenderly. 

And  do  you  think  that  you  can  give  me  up? 

Alceda 
Oh,  how  can  I!     But  it  must  be. 

Tiberius 
Have  you  forgotten  your  word,  Alceda — "for 
ever  and  for  ever"? 

%  Alceda 

In  a  tone  of  deep  sorrow. 

Forgotten? — O  Tiberius!  For  ever  and  for 
ever  I  will  love  you — when  the  firmament  has 
been  rolled  together  as  a  scroll — when  eternity 
is  past  I  will  love  you — ^but  I  will  never 
bear  you  sons  to  read  that  record  in  their 
Mother's  House! 

I  Tiberius 

Proudly. 

My  sons  have  Roman  records  to  read;  and  in 
the  eyes  of  their  Mother,  they  will  see  God. 


84  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Alceda 
Tiberius, — where  learned  you  your  grace? 

Tiberius 
From  you,  Beloved,  you  are  embodied  grace. 

Alceda 

Sorrowfully. 

You  must  not  love  me — I  am  the  daughter  of 
a  sinner. 

Tiberius 
*'I  must  not  love  you''?     I  love  you  more  than 
ever,  if  that  be  possible.     I  will  never  let  you 
go. 

Alceda 

But  there  is  a  blight  upon  me — my  Mother  was 
stoned  without  the  Walls ! 

Tiberius 

Somewhat  sternly. 

Hush,  Alceda !  If  that  be  so,  it  was  from  some 
unjust  suspicion — the  cruel  bitterness  of  your 
hard  Mosaic  Law;  it  was  the  ruthlessness  of 
men :  it  was  no  fault  of  your  Mother. 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  85 

Alceda 
Looking  up  with  eager  hope  in  her  eyes. 

Do  you  think  that?     Do  you  really  think  she 
may  have  been  innocent  ? 

Tiberius 
O  you  who  are  whiter  than  lilies — ^purer  than 
new-fallen  snow,  I  have  but  to  look  in  your 
face  to  know  it,  I  have  but  to  look  in  your  heart 
to  be  sure  of  it.     Your  blessed  Mother ! 

Alceda  looks  at  him  gratefully,  adoringly — then  speaks 
hesitatingly. 

Alceda 
My  Father  thought  she  should  be  stoned. 

Tiberius 
Where  was  his  mercy? 

Alceda 

Ah — where? 

Tiberius 
When  a  man  forgets  his  mercy,  he  is  no  longer 
just. 


S^y  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Alceda 
O  Tiberius,  what  if  it  were  true? 

Tiberius 
It  was  a  passing  shadow,  Alceda:  sin  is  but  a 
shadow:  the  light  of  the  Omnipotent  dispels  all 
darkness. 

He  pits  his  hand  under  her  chin  and  turns  her  face 
upward. 

My  Love,  lift  up  your  eyes  to  me,  so! 
Now,  listen  and  obey  me,  go  home  and  rest 
— to-morrow  I  will  come  to  meet  your  Father — 
then  will  I  claim  you  by  the  force  of  Rome ! 

Alceda 

Frightened. 

Oh!  never  that  way! 

Tiberius 
No,  not  that  way,  you  are  right;  no  public 
means  for  private  ends.     I  will  claim  you  by 
the  power  of  my  love! 

Alceda 
My  Father  knows  no  more  of  love  than  a  blind 
man  knows  of  the  sun! 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  87 

Tiberius 
I  will  find  a  way  to  open  his  eyes!  You  are 
mine  by  all  the  powers  of  life  and  death — 
and  after  death!  I  may  not  kiss  you,  here. 
We  are  upon  the  open  high-road.  But  my 
spirit  kisses  yours. 

Alceda 
Tiberius,  you  have  comforted  me!  Our 
mighty  Prophet  said  that  God  comforted  him, 
"as  one  whom  his  mother  comforteth" — I  never 
found  it  so  with  God,  even  though  I  asked 
and  asked  of  Him — He  is  so  far  away — but 
you  comfort  me  even  so. 

Tiberius 

Tenderly. 

It  may  be  that  your  God  sent  me  to  you  to  do 
it  for  Him. 

Alceda 
Tiberius,  I  think  that  may  be  true! 

Tiberius 

Thoughtfully. 

The  Nazarene  savs  it  is  true. 


88  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Alceda 

Eagerly, 

What  says  He? 

Tiberius 
He  says  we  show  God  to  one  another,  that 
God  is  in  us,  and  when  we  show  kindness  and 
mercy,  and  when  we  give  comfort  and  help 
to  another  then  we  reveal  Him. 

Alceda 

Thoughtfully. 

This  Jesus  says  very  wonderful  things. 

Tiberius 
He  is  as  keen  as  an  eagle,  as  wise  as  a  serpent, 
as  gentle  as  a  dove!     I  wish  I  could  make  up 
my  mind  about  Him. 

Alceda 
If  He  is  all  those  things,  is  it  not  enough  to 
hear  His  words,  and  to  remember  them  ? 

Tiberius 

My  Minerva,  you  also  are  very  wise:  that  is 
true. 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  89 

From  time  to  time  in  every  land,  in  every  re- 
ligion, messengers  have  come  from  the  Gods 
to  testify  to  the  great  verities  of  life  eternal. 
Certain  of  our  teachers  and  our  philosophers 
have  made  the  everlasting  truths  more  clear 
to  us.  Now  comes  this  Nazarene  with  His 
philosophy  of  renewal,  of  rebirth.  He  is  so 
chaste,  so  pure,  so  consecrated.  He  can  divine 
the  truth:  He  knows  that  sin  is  but  a  passing 
shadow,  not  a  finality;  He  knows  the  future  is 
ours:  we  are  the  children  of  to-morrow;  we 
should  never  be  stoned  for  our  yesterdays — if 
we  have  repented  of  them. 
Nature  teaches  us  a  great  lesson — every  morn- 
ing, after  the  dark  night,  the  sun  rises  and  it 
is  a  new  day;  and  always,  after  the  darkness 
of  sin,  there  comes  the  forgiveness  of  the  Most 
High,  the  great  Creator  of  the  Universe,  to 
absolve  us — and  it  is  a  new  day  for  the  soul. 
I  am  convinced  that  your  Mother  broke  no  law 
— that  she  committed  no  sin;  but  even  if  she 
did,  I  know  she,  at  once,  repented :  the  sin  rests 
upon  those  who  stoned  her.  The  Nazarene 
would  not  have  stoned  her:  He  would  never 
stone  a  sinner.     Every  time  I  have  heard  Him, 


90  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

He  has  spoken  of  forgiveness — forgiveness: 
He  would  gather  all  sinners  in  His  arms,  "as 
a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings" 
— a  striking  metaphor  He  used  the  other  day. 

Alceda 

Greatly  agitated. 

Compassion  —  comprehension  —  forgiveness 
— living  water !     Tiberius,  I  will  follow  Him ! 

Tiberius 
I  am  not  yet  persuaded.     I  am  a  man  and  a 
Roman,  I  am  partly  Greek — I  must  weigh  well 
before  I  decide:  but  this  one  thing  I  do  know, 
the  man  is  true! 

Alceda 
Ah  1  He  is  true !     He  is  divine. 

Tiberius 
Farewell,  Alceda.     It  is  not  well  for  you  to 
linger  longer  here.     To-morrow,  I  will  come 
to  demand  my  bride — and  then — to  Rome,  to 
comfort,  happiness  and  joy ! 
He  points  to  a  flowering  bush  near  by. 
I  may  not  give  you  those  glowing  flowers  of 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  91 

the  East  in  your  new  home,  but  violets  are 
sprinkled  in  the  grass,  and  in  my  garden  there 
are  fragrant,  fragile  blossoms  that  will  crown 
your  hair — when  you  are  weary  of  jewels. 

Alceda 
Remembering  the  rubies. 

Jewels? — they  are  for  bondwomen! 

Tiberius 

My  Stone  of  Crystal  without  flaw,  when  any 
jewel  comes  near  you,  its  lustre  is  dimmed ! 

Alceda 
Farewell,  Tiberius — I  am  comforted! 

Tiberius 

In  a  tone  of  command. 

And  you  must  be  also  strengthened.  Look  in 
my  eyes,  Alceda!  Remember,  you  are  the 
betrothed  wife  of  a  Roman :  the  power  of  Rome 
is  behind  you  and  about  you !  You  are  not  to 
fear  what  these  Hebrews  may  do  to  you. 


92  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Alceda 

You  do  not  know  my  Father,  Jahdiel,  the 
Pharisee  1 

She  gives  him  her  hand,  then  turns  and  walks  quickly 
down  the  road:  Tiberius  looks  after  her,  with 
great  tenderness  in  his  eyes. 

Tiberius 

Beside  the  Roman  maidens  with  their  worldly 
wiles,  she  is  like  one  of  the  white  star  flowers 
that  grow  amid  the  snows,  on  the  summit  of 
the  Apennines! 


ACT  II 
SCENE  II 


ACT  II 

SCENE  II 

The  same  day,  later.     The  Court  in  Jahdiel's  House: 

EUzaheth,  sitting  at  her  work. 
Enter  Jahdiel. 

Jahdiel 
Where  is  your  Mistress? 
EUzaheth  does  not  answer. 

Jahdiel 
Where  is  Alceda? 
Elizabeth  does  not  answer. 

Jahdiel 

Angrily. 

Are  you  a  Hebrew  woman  or  a  mummy  of  the 

Nile,  you  plague-spot  of  an  hireling? 

Elizabeth 
Let  me  alone  until  I  swallow  down  my  spittle. 

95 


96  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

I  cannot  answer  when  your  questions  fly  swifter 
than  a  weaver's  shuttle! 

Jahdiel 

I  have  asked  you  but  one  question.  Where  is 
Alceda? 

Elizabeth 
Perchance,  she  is  in  the  house. 

Jahdiel 

With  a  snarl. 

Perchance,  she  is  in  Sheol!  You  have  ceased 
to  guard  her.  Your  usefulness  in  my  house  is 
ended.  When  the  Passover  is  finished,  you 
will  be  turned  out  of  doors. 

The  Nurse  gives  a  long,  low  moan. 

Elizabeth 
I  have  held  her  on  my  knees,  I  have  held  her 
at  my  breast,  I  have  taught  her  little  feet  to 
walk,  I  have  taught  her  little  lips  to  speak. 

Jahdiel 

Severely. 

You  have  taught  her  little  feet  to  walk  on  the 


ACT  II]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  97 

highways,  you  have  taught  her  little  lips  to 
speak  blasphemy ! 

Elizabeth 
Protestingly. 

Blasphemy?  Now,  by  the  Lord  God  of 
Hosts,  that  I  have  not ! 

Jahdiel 

I  have  heard  to-day  from  Josephus,  who  heard 
it  from  another,  that  she  has  been  seen  gad- 
ding about  after  the  accursed  Nazarene,  and 
echoing  some  of  His  pestilential  talk. 

Elizabeth 
Alarmed. 

Jehovah  forbid !     That  must  be  stopped ! 
Jahdiel 

Grimly. 

I  will  stop  it,  have  no  fear !     Go  into  the  house 
and  attend  to  your  business ! 
Elizabeth  hesitates. 

When  I  command,  you  are  to  obey! 

Exit  Elizabeth. 


98  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Jahdiel 

The  lingering  perfidy  of  Rachel  haunts  this 
house:  the  child,  the  nurse — all  are  tainted  by 
the  poison  of  her  trail ! 

The  grating  sound  of  a  key,  turning  in  the  lock,  is 
heard. 

Jahdiel 
Ha !  Ha !     I  will  hide  and  keep  my  watch. 

He  goes  behind  an  oleander  hush.  The  gate  opens 
slowly;  Alceda,  closely  veiled,  enters  and  closes 
the  gate  behind  her;  she  locks  it  with  the  key  at 
her  girdle;  she  looks  around  the  Court,  then  throws 
back  her  veil. 

Alceda 

Ah !     I  am  safe ! 

Jahdiel  springs  out  from  the  oleander  hush  and  grasps 
her  arm  with  a  grip  of  steel. 

Jahdiel 
Yea,  verily,  from  henceforth  you  are  safe ! 

Alceda,  frightened,  turns  very  pale  and  sways  for  a 
moment:  then  she  rallies  and  speaks  with  the  new 
dignity  horn  of  her  hour  with  Tiberius. 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  99 

Alceda 

My  wrist  is  not  a  turning  pin  to  wrench — ^let  it 
free  I 

Jahdiel 

Still  holding  the  wrist. 

What  I  do,  I  do! 

Alceda  stands  still!  Jahdiel  still  holds  her  wrist. 

Alceda 

Calmly. 

I  await  your  words. 

Jahdiel 
You  have  outraged  my  friend,  Josephus. 

Alceda 

Quietly. 

I  have  prevented  his  outraging  me. 

Jahdiel 
He  would  have  wed  you. 

Alceda 
That  may  never  be. 


100  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Jahdiel 

We  will  see  about  that!  You  have  been  to 
meet  Tiberius  upon  the  highway. 

Alceda 

Tiberius  is  my  betrothed  husband — he  had 
your  consent  to  woo  me — it  is  fitting  we  should 
meet. 

Jahdiel 
You  are  to  give  him  up! 

Alceda 
That  I  will  never  do ! 

Jahdiel 

Furthermore,  you  have  been  to  hear  this  pesti- 
lential Nazarene,  who  blasphemingly  declares 
that  He  is  God! 

Alceda 

Fearlessly. 

Yes,  I  have  been  to  hear  Him — if  He  be  not 
God,  He  is  a  messenger  from  God,  and  I  desire 
to  learn  of  Him. 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WAtLS  101 

Jahdiel 
Silence,  or  I  will  strike  you  where  you  stand! 

Alceda 

With  cool  tensity. 

Not  again! 

Jahdiel 
Again,  and  again,  and  again! 

Alceda 
Let  me  go — Father. 

Jahdiel 

Not  until  you  have  answered  me.  Hark  to  my 
word,  if  you  have  ears  to  hear.  I  have  a  bal- 
ance to  strike  with  you.  If  you  will  never  see 
Tiberius  again,  if  you  will  wed  Josephus — who 
is  generous  enough  to  take  you,  even  yet,  for 
he  knows  that  he  can  tame  you — if  you  will 
give  me  your  promise  never  to  see  that  Naza- 
rene  blasphemer  again — then  I  will  let  you  go! 

Alceda 

Very  quietly,  but  with  tensity. 

None  of  these  three  things  will  I  do ! 


102  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Jahdiel 
With  concentrated  fury. 

Then  I  will  not  let  you  go!  You  have  defied 
me  and  I  will  give  you  measure  for  measure! 

He  grasps  her  other  wrist;  a  great  trembling  shakes 
her:  Elizabeth  appears — she  keeps  the  trees  be- 
tween herself  and  Jahdiel  but  listens  and  watches 
with  agitation. 

Alceda 

Terrified. 

Father — whither  will  you  take  me? 

Jahdiel 

Within  the  house  there  is  the  little  cell  which  I 
had  built  for  the  unruly  servants.  There  you 
shall  stay  until  you  have  found  a  better  mind, 
a  better  answer! 

He  drags  her  off:  she  is  as  a  thistle-down  before  the 
blast. 

Alceda 

In  a  voice  of  despair. 
Tiberius ! 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  103 

Jahdiel 

Laughing  snarlingly. 

Let  be !     We  shall  see  if  Tiberius  will  come  to 
you! 

Jahdiel  drags  Alceda  off.     Exeunt  Jahdiel  and  Alceda. 

Elizabeth 
God  of  my  Fathers!  She  is  lost,  my  little 
lamb:  gone  to  that  foul  cell!  I  cannot  com- 
fort her — I  cannot  reach  her.  If  I  had  spoken 
Jahdiel  would  have  banished  me  and  I  must 
linger  near  for  any  chance  to  help  Alceda. 
What  shall  I  do!     What  shall  I  do ! 

She  sinks  weeping  on  Alceda* s  seat  and  passes  her  hand 
lovingly  over  the  lute. 

Elizabeth 
O  little  lute — all  silent  now — your  strings  will 
break  even  as  my  heart  breaks. 

Enter  David:  he  creeps  silently  through  the  Court  up 
to  Elizabeth  and  begins  to  laugh. 

David 

You  fat-foolishness — who  is  a  heathen  now, 
bending  the  knee  to  idols?     You  don't  bend 


104  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

your  knee  because  you  can't — you're  too  fat — 
but  you  are  worshipping  that  lute  as  much,  as  I 
did. 

Elizabeth 
You  son  of  Beelzebub !     My  heart  is  broken ! 

David 

Laughing. 

Your  heart  is  broken,  is  it?  I'll  warrant  me  it 
is  for  some  gay  young  Israelite. 

Elizabeth 

Moaning. 

Oh,  Alcedal     Alceda! 

David 

Startled. 

What's  the  matter  with  Alceda? 

Elizabeth 

Sobbing. 

He  has  killed  her !      He  has  killed  her ! 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  105 

David 

Impatiently. 

Killed  her?— Killed  Alceda— Who?— Where? 

— When? — tell  me  at  once. 

Elizabeth 

Lifting  her  hand  protestingly. 
Hush!     Hush! 

David 
If  you  don't  tell  me  this  minute,  I  will  scream. 
He  begins  to  scream. 

Elizabeth 
Eagerly. 

In  the  name  of  Jacob,  hush!  You  will  stir 
up  a  commotion  and  all  will  be  lost.  If  you 
are  quiet  we  may  save  her.  I  will  tell  you  all. 
Come  near,  sit  at  my  feet,  give  me  your  ear — 
perchance  you  can  help. 

David 

Anxiously. 

Save  her?     Is  there  danger? 

Elizabeth 
Ah !     You  begin  to  believe  me. 


106  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

David 

Quick!  You  fat-foolishness!  You  are 
slower  than  the  snails  that  crawl  upon  the  wall. 
Elizabeth  continues  to  sob. 

Elizabeth 

'Tis  no  good  to  tell  you — your  brains  are  mixed 
with  mud. 

David 

Ingratiatingly. 

Oh,  come,  Elizabeth!  You  are  not  so  very 
slow  after  all  and  you  are  not  so  very  fat. 
Why  do  you  cry?  Tell  me,  you  quick  Eliza- 
beth— you  thin  Elizabeth!     Please  tell  me. 

Elizabeth 

Despairingly  in  a  tense  voice. 

He  has  taken  her! — Jahdiel  has  taken  her!  — 
and  locked  her  in  the  cell  beneath  the  eaves. 

David 

Starting  up. 

Alceda,  my  Mistress  ?     My  beautiful  Mistress  ? 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  107 

Elizabeth 
Hush !     Hush !     What  shall  we  do  ? 

David 

Suspiciously. 

You  are  not  playing  any  sorry  game  with  me? 

Elizabeth 

Indignantly,  through  her  sobs. 

Do  I  cry  for  a  joke?     Would  I  play  a  game 
with  death? 

David 
We  will  save  her — trust  me! 

Elizabeth 
How? 

David 
I  know  a  way  to  open  locks. 

Elizabeth 

Drying  her  eyes. 

I'll  wager  you  know  how  to  open  locks.     You 
were  ever  a  sly  one  and  a  sharp  one ! 


108  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

David 

It  is  well  just  now  that  I  am!  We  must  bide 
our  time:  I  must  study  the  door  and  the  lock 
whilst  you  watch  that  human  devil. 

Elizabeth 

Jahdiel  is  a  devil  without  doubt,  but  it  is  too 
good  for  him  to  call  him  human. 

David 
Come,  we  will  go  and  plan  the  escape  at  once 


at  least,  to-morrow,  when  all  is  made 
ready. 


ACT  II 
SCENE  III 


ACT  II 

SCENE  III 

The  next  day.     The  Court,  the  same  as  before. 

Jahdiel,  the  Pharisee,  splendidly  attired  in  robes  of 
ceremony,  Tiberius,  the  Roman,  in  the  dress  of  a 
noble  Roman  Centurion — are  seated  on  a  marble 
seat. 

Jahdiel 

With  honeyed  sweetness. 
You  desire  speech  of  me? 

Tiberius 
Speech  of  great  import  to  myself — and  you! 

Jahdiel 

Looking  at  him  narrowly. 

Peradventure,  you  are  concerned  with  an  affair 
of  state? 

Tiberius 

Rather  an  affair  of  the  heart. 

Ill 


112  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Jahdiel 
Hearts  do  not  lie  in  my  jurisdiction. 

Tiberius 

Wherefore,  we  will  not  dwell  upon  that  issue. 
I  would  speak  with  you  on  a  question  of  faith 
in  dealing. 

Jahdiel 
Ay. 

Tiberius 

I  have  heard  it  rumoured  that  Pharisees  devour 
widows'  houses,  that  they  grind  down  those 
who  trust  in  them,  and  that  their  word  is  a 
reed  to  be  broken,  a  slight  thing  to  be  snapped. 

Jahdiel 

With  menace  in  his  tone. 

The  house  of  a  Pharisee  is  scarce  a  fitting 
place  to  echo  the  lying  buzz  of  busybodies  con- 
cerning Pharisees! 

Tiberius 

With  marked  politeness. 

Sir,  it  is  the  fitting  place  to  repeat  those  things 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  113 

as  idle  tales  which  I  condemn.  I  tell  it  that 
I  may,  also,  tell  you  that  Tiberius  believes  it 
not — he  would  resent  the  rumour. 

Jahdiel 

Sarcastically. 

Most  wise  and  generous  Roman! 
Tiberius 

With  deference. 

I  am  convinced — whatever  men  may  say  to 
the  contrary — that  with  a  Pharisee,  a  bargain  is 
a  bargain,  a  promise  is  a  promise,  in  Judea  as 
in  Rome. 

Jahdiel 

Sarcastically. 

Your  discernment  is  most  excellent:  surely 
wisdom  will  die  with  you! 

Tiberius 

With  dignity. 

You  promised  me  your  daughter — five  months 
gone  by. 


114  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Jahdiel 
With  crafty  gentleness. 

You,  who  are  so  wise,  know  well.  Sir,  I  made 
no  promises!  I  but  said  that  you  might  woo 
my  daughter  and  that  perhaps  you  might  wed 
her:  there  is  a  difference. 

Tiberius 

Hiding  the  rising  anger  under  a  most  courteous  ex- 
terior. 

You  meant  that  I  might  dangle  as  a  carp  upon 
a  hook,  whilst  you  were  testing  the  stream  for 
other  fish? 

Jahdiel 

With  a  most  ingratiating  manner. 

Sir,  you  do  me  wrong !  I  but  held  a  possibility 
before  your  eyes — and  before  my  own — whilst 
I  awaited  the  event. 

After  a  moment,  he  continues  with  apparent  hesitation. 

I  will  speak  truth  with  you: — I  am  a  Phari- 
see, the  strictest  of  my  sect;  I  pay  my  tithes;  I 
am  not  as  other  men :  the  Lord  God  of  Hosts  is 
my  God.  I  ask  you,  as  an  honourable  Roman, 
is  it  not  fitting  that  I  should  want  my  child. 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  115 

my  one  ewe  lamb,  the  sole  daughter  of  my 
House,  to  wed  one  whose  God  is  my  God,  whose 
people  are  my  people? 

Tiberius 

With  characteristic  honesty. 

'Tis  so  I  should  desire  for  a  daughter  of  my 
own  House. 

Jahdiel 

With  a  marked  effort,  as  though  he  would  be  honest 
at  any  cost. 

There  are — there  are  grave  reasons — ^not  for 
your  ears;  sorrows,  which  I  may  not  confide 
to  a  stranger — wherefore  I  thought  that  none 
of  my  people  would  desire  to  jtake  my  daughter 
to  wife:  I  did  not  want  her  to  be  unwedded, 
because  a  childless  woman  is  a  reproach  in 
Israel.  Alceda  is  a  maiden  of  tender  heart, 
she  will  sorely  need  an  husband  when  I  am 
gathered  to  my  Fathers.  I  thought,  if  you 
could  win  her,  I  might,  perchance,  consent:  I 
had  not  faced  the  issue,  but  before  the  mat- 
ter was  accomplished,  a  mighty  man  in  Israel, 
to  my  surprise  and  satisfaction,  desired  her 


116  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

to  wife — and  offered  me  his  hand  for  her.  I 
ask  you,  Sir,  in  honesty,  am  I  obliged  to  stay 
committed  to  a  passing  possibility? 

Tiberius 

With  stern  decision. 

She  shall  not  wed  Josephus! 

Jahdiel 

Looking  at  him  narrowly  and  unpleasantly. 

How  know  you  it  is  Josephus  ? 
Tiberius 

Controlling  himself. 

I  know  Josephus — he  is  lean  and  hungry  and 
he  has  seen  Alceda! — he  shall  not  have  her! 

Jahdiel 

Smiling  sweetly  with  his  lips,  with  hatred  in  his  eye. 
Doubtless  the  power  of  Rome  is  infinite. 

Tiberius 
I  speak  not  of  the  power  of  Rome — I  speak  of 
my  possession  of  her  heart,  my  claim  to  her 
hand. 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  117 

Jahdiel 

I  admit  no  claim  founded  on  a  bare  possibility 
— which  you  interpret  as  a  promise. 

Tiberius 
I  beg,  Sir,  that  you  will  bear  with  me  whilst  I 
recount  my  worth. 

Jahdiel 
Doubtless  you  are  a  very  noble  Roman. 

Tiberius 

With  barbed  courtesy. 

I  mean  not  my  qualities  of  mind  and  heart.  I 
would  recount  for  your  consideration  my  wealth 
and  my  power.  I  have  vast  estates  in  Rome 
and  in  the  country  round  about.  I  have  silver 
untold,  and  gold  uncounted.     I  have  jewels — 

Jahdiel 

Interrupting  him  with  a  magnificent  air  of  entire  indif- 
ference to  material  things. 

These  weigh  not  one  farthing  in  the  scale. 
You  have  not  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  on  your 
side! 


118  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Tiberius 

I  have  the  God  of  Olympus — and  the  Roman 
legion. 

Jahdiel 
Smiling  grimly. 
A  mighty  combination,  without  doubt. 

Tiberius 
What  if  Alceda  should  refuse  to  wed  Josephus  ? 

Jahdiel 

With  an  assumption  of  great  surprise. 

That  were  a  possibility  of  which  I  had  not 
thought. 

Tiberius 

Will  you  send  for  her  and  leave  the  decision  to 
her? 

Jahdiel  hesitates — he  speaks  softly  with  apparent  kind- 
ness and  sympathy. 

Jahdiel 

It  grieves  me  to  pain  your  faithful  heart — 
but  Alceda  is  sick  of  a  fever. 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  119 

Tiberius 

Starting  up  with  alarm. 
Sick?     Let  me  go  to  her ! 

Jahdiel 

Indulgently. 

The  men  of  our  country  do  not  intrude  upon 
the  privacy  of  women. 

Tiberius 
Proudly. 

Not  even  of  their  betrothed  wives? 
Jahdiel 

Sweetly. 

Least  of  all — if  there  were  any  such  here. 

Tiberius 
Sir,  I  consider  Alceda  my  betrothed  wife. 

Jahdiel 

Smiling  craftily. 

Ah!   that  is  a  matter  for  decision — but  later 
on — there  will  be  time — let  the  matter  bide, 


120  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

pending  her  sickness  and  the  Passover.  When 
the  Passover  is  ended,  we  will  talk  again. 

Tiberius 

Pleadingly. 

I  pray  you,  tell  me,  Jahdiel,  is  Alceda  very 
sick?     In  mercy  tell  me. 

Jahdiel 

With  a  gracious  manner — as  with  great  kindness. 

Have  no  fear.  It  is  slight;  she  is  young  and 
tender.  The  thought  of  Josephus'  purpose 
— the  mighty  mystery  of  marriage  shakes  her 
spirit  and  the  sorrow  of  leaving  her  Father's 
house:  she  has  a  slight  fever  in  her  blood; 
it  is  but  a  passing  thing — complete  quiet' is 
her  medicine.  She  will  be  quickly  well  again ; 
only  she  sorely  needs  rest.  Patience,  Sir. 
You  may  trust  a  loving  Father's  eye  to  have  a 
watchful  care  over  his  ewe  lamb!  I  will  talk 
with  you  again,  after  the  Passover. 

Tiberius 

With  dignity. 

Perchance,  I  must  be  content  with  that. 


ACT  n]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  .     121 

Jahdiel 
Softly. 

I  fear  you  must.  I  will  trust  you  not  to  dis- 
turb the  quiet  of  these  days.  When  the  Pass- 
over is  ended,  then  we  will  talk.  I  beg  of  your 
courtesy  not  an  hour  before. 

Tiberius 
And — if  Josephus? — 

Jahdiel 

Sir?  She  is  my  daughter.  Personal  affairs 
must  wait  on  the  feast  of  the  Passover.  Jo- 
sephus would  not  forget  the  obligations  of  his 
sect.  Will  a  Roman  be  considerate  of  our 
Laws  and  wait  until  the  Passover  is  past? 

Tiberius 

I  will  wait  until  the  Passover  is  past — you  have 
the  word  of  a  Roman — and  when  the  Passover 
is  past? 

Jahdiel 
When  it  is,  we  will  consider. 


122  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

Tiberius 


Farewell,  Sir. 


Farewell, 


Jahdiel 


Jahdiel  bows  very  low  and  leads  Tiberius  to  the  gate: 
as  he  closes  the  gate  after  Tiberius  he  smiles 
craftily:  he  goes  back  to  his  seat  and  claps  his 
hands:  a  servant  enters. 

Jahdiel 
Bring  the  culprit  to  me. 

The  servant  goes  out  and  returns  dragging  David  in 
chains.     David  looks  at  Jahdiel  defiantly. 

Jahdiel 

Two  hours  ago  I  caught  you  at  the  door  of 
the  cell  beneath  the  eaves:  you  were  working 
at  the  lock.  I  had  no  time  then:  I  ask  you 
now — what  were  you  doing  ? 

David 

I  will  tell  no  lies:  I  was  trying  to  open  the 
door  to  save  my  Mistress. 


ACT  II]  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  123 

Jahdiel 

Smiling  grimly. 

To  save  your  Mistress?  Indeed!  Did  you 
consider  that  you  might  lose  yourself? 

David 

I  care  not  for  myself!  You  may  hew  me  to 
atoms — hack  me  in  pieces,  yet  would  I  serve 
her. 

Jahdiel 
I  will  cast  you  out  where  you  can  serve  neither 
yourself  nor  her. 

David 

Defiantly. 

If  the  Light  of  this  dwelling  is  gone  I  do  not 
care  whether  or  not  I  stay  in  it  or  whether  I 
am  cast  out. 

Jahdiel 

Savagely. 

You  will  go  with  a  sorry  back  that  has  been 
beaten  with  many  stripes ! 


124  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  [act  n 

David 

Proudly. 

I  should  rather  have  the  hand  that  turned  the 
key  upon  my  Mistress  smite  me  than  have  it 
stroke  me ! 

Jahdiel 

Firmly  to  the  servant. 

After  he  has  been  beaten  with  many  stripes 
cast  him  from  out  the  gates — a  penniless  beg- 
gar. 

David 
Each  lash  will  be  borne  for  her  whom  my  heart 
honours ! 

Jahdiel 
Perchance,  the  stripes  will  be  unto  death ! 

David 
The  Mosaic  Law  protects  me,  but  if  your  wrath 
defies  the  Law  then  will  I  gladly  die ! 

Jahdiel 
Silence!     What  know  you  of  the  Law? 
To  the  servant. 
Take  the  offender  away — you  have  my  orders ! 


ACT  III 

SCENE  I 


ACT  III 

SCENE  I 

Three  Days  Later 

A  bare  stone  cell  in  the  house  of  Jahdiel.  There  is  an 
open  window  with  heavy  bars  at  the  opening  and 
a  stout  door;  a  mattress  of  straw  is  in  a  corner; 
there  are  two  rude  chairs  and  a  small  table. 

Alceda  stands  looking  out  through  the  barred  window; 
she  is  very  pale  and  wan;  her  eyes  are  large  and 
appealing  in  their  sadness.  She  has  scarcely 
eaten  or  slept  during  the  last  three  days;  she  has 
no  veil  and  her  loosened  hair  ripples  around  her 
form, 

Alceda 

In  dreary  tones. 

The  days  creep  on  and  I  am  prisoned  here — 
no  fragrant  flowers,  no  murmuring  trees,  no 
sparkling  fountain,  no  beautiful  blue  sky !  only 
the  striped  patch  of  sunshine  through  the 
barred  window — alas !  alas  1  I  have  no  faithful 
nurse — only  that  hard-visaged  stranger — my 
127 


128  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

Elizabeth  is  forbidden  to  come  to  me — ^no  word 
of  Tiberius — O  Tiberius! — my  Love!  my 
Love!  Why  have  you  left  me  to  my  fate? 
Where  are  you?  Where  is  the  power  of 
Rome? 

The  bolt  of  the  door  is  moved  from  without.  Alceda 
gathers  her  forces  to  meet  her  Father  with  self- 
control.  Enter  Jahdiel,  the  Pharisee.  He  looks 
at  Alceda  with  forbidding  sternness. 

Jahdiel 

Sternly. 

Three  days  have  passed — the  time  I  promised 
you  for  thought.  I  come  now  for  your  de- 
cision. Will  you,  of  your  own  will,  renounce 
Tiberius?  Will  you,  in  obedience  to  my  will, 
wed  Josephus  ?  Will  you  promise  me  that  you 
will  never  look  upon  the  cursed  Nazarene 
again? 

For  three  days  Alceda  has  been  face  to  face  with  the 
great  realities  of  life  and  face  to  face  with  her  own 
soul;  the  loftiness  and  dignity  of  a  new  maturity 
have  come  upon  her:  she  draws  herself  up  proudly. 

Alceda 
For  three  days,  Father,  I  have  thought  of  the 
words  you  said  when  you  locked  me  in;  for 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  129 

three  days  I  have  pondered  them :  now  I  know 
my  mind — it  is  unalterable.  I  will  not  re- 
nounce Tiberius — it  would  be  broken  faith,  I 
will  not  wed  Josephus — it  would  be  blasphemy 
to  love.  I  must  seek  the  Nazarene,  for  I  am 
persuaded  that  He  holds  the  key  to  the  door  of 
new  life! 

Jahdiel 

Inexorably. 

This  then  is  the  end!  You  are  no  longer  a 
daughter  of  my  House !  I  will  take  you  to  my 
vineyard  lands  beyond  the  hills,  where  my 
servants  hold  a  stout  tower.  There,  I  will 
keep  you  silently,  as  a  stranger.  No  word 
shall  be  spoken,  for  I  will  not  have  a  second 
scandal  get  abroad.  One  scandal  in  the  life 
of  a  Pharisee  is  too  much!  But,  from  hence- 
forth, you  are  cut  off,  cast  out  from  me  and 
from  my  House. 

He  raises  his  right   hand  ominously.     Alceda  turns 
paler  than  before;  she  Ufts  her  hands  protestingly. 

Alceda 
Father — forbear!     Do  not  curse  me,  I  am  a 


130  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

Hebrew  woman :  for  the  love  of  Jehovah !  Do 
not  curse  me! 

Jahdiel 

Once    more;    will    you    promise    these    three 

things  ? 

He  stands  with  lifted  hand  ready  to  curse  her. 

Alceda 

In  despair. 

O  Father — Father — I  cannot — I  cannot  prom- 
ise— I  dare  not  forswear  my  soul ! 

She  falls  upon  the  floor,  and  crouches  against  the  wall, 
burying  her  face  in  her  arms  as  one  who  is  buf- 
feted by  a  mighty  storm. 

Jahdiel 

In  solemn  wrath. 

In  the  name  of  the  Lord  God  of  Hosts,  from 
this  day  you  are  cut  off  from  the  House  of 
your  Fathers.  May  all  evil  come  upon  you! 
Cursed  be  your  breasts  that  they  give  no  suck; 
cursed  be  your  womb  that  it  bear  no  son! 
May  your  days  be  full  of  blighting  and  of  mil- 
dew; and  may  the  memory  of  your  disobedi- 


ACT  in]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  131 

ence,  wherein  you  broke  the  Law,  be  unto 
your  remembrance — an  open  sore  to  bring  you 
writhing  and  torment!  In  the  name  of  Je- 
hovah. 

Jahdiel  turns,  and  without  looking  at  her,  goes  out  of 
the  door.  Alceda  hears  the  heavy  bolt  fall  into 
the  latch,  the  key  turns  in  the  lock.  She  crouches 
desolately  on  the  ground,  a  motionless  creature  of 
despair,  the  curse  resting  upon  her  like  a  pall. 

Alceda 
God  of  my  Fathers,  have  pity  upon  me !     Have 
pity  upon  me!     A  Hebrew  maiden  cursed — 
cursed!     How  can  I  live  under  the  curse  of 
my  Father ! 

She  crouches  silent  a  while  in  abject  despair — suddenly 
the  sound  of  shouting  from  the  multitude  comes 
through  the  barred  window — Alceda  raises  her 
head  and  listens. 

Voices  of  the  Multitude 

Hosanna!  Hosanna!  Blessed  is  He  that 
Cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord ! 

Alceda  uncovers  her  face  and  listens  intently:  then  she 
rises  swiftly,  goes  to  the  barred  window  and  looks 
out. 


132  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  in 

Alceda 
It  is  He — the  Nazarene! 

She  draws  back  from  the  window,  raises  her  head,  and 
stands  as  if  remembering. 

What  were  those  words  He  said  that  day? — 
that  happy  day  when  Tiberius  was  beside  me? 
— "Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  are  heavy-laden, 
and  I  will  give  you  rest." 

She  turns  and  stretches  her  arms  through  the  bars  of 
the  window;  she  speaks  in  poignant  tones. 

O  Master,  Master,  I  am  very  weary — heavy- 
laden  unto  death — help  me — help  me!  I  am 
come! 

Strength  seems  to  infuse  her,  as  though  virtue  had 
flowed  back  to  her  for  the  asking.     After  a  pause. 

And  what  were  those  other  words  that  Miriam 
told  me  He  said?  "Blessed  are  they  that 
mourn  for  they  shall  be  comforted."  Ah! 
He  blesses — He  does  not  curse — curses  fall 
away  in  His  sight — a  blessing  flows  into  the 
soul  of  those  who  ask. 

Her  face  grows  more  and  more  radiant  as  she  leans 
against  the  bars  of  the  window  and  looks  after 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  133 

Jesus,  who  has  passed  below.     Voices  from  the 
street  swell  upward. 

The  Multitude 
Hosanna!     Hosanna! 

Alceda 

Softly. 

Master,  I  also  say  hosanna — in  my  heart. 


ACT  III 
SCENE  II 


ACT  III 

SCENE  II 

Two  Days  Later 

The  seat  by  the  roadside,  the  same  as  in  Act  II,  Scene  I. 
Tiberius  is  sitting  on  the  seat  and  looking  down 
the  road. 

Tiberius 

Between  those  olive  trees  stands  the  house 
where  my  beloved  lies!  My  Flower  of  the 
Mountains,  you  are  sick,  and  I  cannot  bear 
you  in  my  arms;  weary,  and  I  cannot  refresh 
you ;  in  fever,  and  I  cannot  minister  unto  you ! 
Two  days  more  before  the  Passover  is  ended 
and  I  see  her  Father  again:  I  have  given  my 
word  to  wait.  Is  he  a  crafty  fox — or  is  he 
an  honest  Hebrew?  This  country  is  prolific 
of  extremes.  It  is  natural  that  he  should 
desire  to  have  a  man  of  his  own  people  for  his 
son-in-law.  I  cannot  blame  him  for  that! 
He  stoned  his  wife?  That  was  cruel — yes— 
137 


138  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

but  perhaps  he  thought  that  she  was  guilty. 
She  was  not:  I  know  without  proof,  she  was 
not  guilty:  Alceda's  Mother  was  as  white  as 
snow!  but  perhaps  he  believed  a  lie  of  her  and 
judged  her  without  cause — he  has  the  air  of 
a  relentless  judge:  and  if  he  judged  her  guilty 
then  his  religion,  his  conscience,  would  bid 
him  follow  the  harsh  code  of  his  religion. 
Ah!  I  ask  myself  once  more  is  he  an  honest 
Hebrew — alert,  stern,  relentless,  and  forbid- 
ding— or  is  he  a  crafty  fox?  If  a  man  be 
honest,  true,  sincere — then,  one  can  handle  him, 
though  he  were  as  hard  as  the  unsplit  rock; 
but  if  he  be  a  hypocrite — it  is  a  different  thing. 
I  do  not  like  his  eyes. 

A  heavily-veiled  figure  comes  stealthily  out  from 
amongst  the  trees  and  approaches  Tiberius.  She 
is  Elizabeth,  Alceda's  nurse,  but  she  is  so  disguised 
that  Alceda,  herself,  could  not  have  recognised  her, 

Elizabeth 
Sir,  I  would  speak  with  you. 

Tiberius 

Impatient  of  any  interruption. 
I  have  no  ears. 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  139 

Elizabeth 
You  have  a  heart. 

Tiberius 
Not  for  strangers. 

Elizabeth 
For  the  love  of  the  God  of  Israel,  hear  me ! 

Tiberius 
I  know  Him  not. 

Elizabeth 

Contemptuously. 

It  is  the  more  pity  and  shame  for  you ! 

Tiberius 
Let  that  be  as  it  may. 

Elizabeth 
We  are  wasting  time. 

Tiberius 
Then,  leave  me,  and  waste  it  not. 

Elizabeth 
For  the  love  of  Alceda,  hear  me ! 


140  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  in 

Tiberius 

Leaning  quickly  forward  and  grasping  her  arm. 
Speak,  woman! 

Elizabeth 

In  troth,  I  am  trying  to  speak;  I  came  for  that 
purpose.  But  how  can  I  speak  when  you  will 
not  listen?  I  do  not  like  to  talk  to  the  wind, 
it  is  a  sorry  business  to  have  one's  words 
blown,  unheeded,  as  thistle-down — I — 

Tiberius 
Sharply. 

Speak,  woman.     Is  she  dead? 

Elizabeth 

Earnestly. 

God  forbid! 

Tiberius 
In  the  name  of  Jupiter,  who  are  you? 

Elizabeth 
I  do  not  answer  heathen  questions! — I  wor- 
ship Jehovah ! 


ACT  in]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS'  141 

Tiberius 
In  the  name  of  any  god  you  please,  who  are 
you? 

Elizabeth 
In  a  broken  voice. 

I  am  Elizabeth,  the  nurse  of  Alceda,  cast  off 
from  the  darling  of  my  heart  because  of  my 
love  for  her ! 

Tiberius 

Tenderly,  motioning  her  to  the  seat  beside  him. 
Sit   here,    woman,    and   have   no   fear.     The 
power  of  Rome  will  protect  you  and  keep  you 
from  all  want! 

Elizabeth 
With  a  lofty  gesture  of  disdain. 
Want? — I  do  not  want  your  Roman  food;  can 
your   Roman   food   nourish   me   when   I    am 
hungry  for  my  child !      Can  your  Roman  coin 
content  me  when  I  am  cut  in  two  ? 

Tiberius 
Kindly. 

No — but  there  are  other  things  which  might 
content  you. 


142  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

Elizabeth 

None  that  a  Roman  can  give  me.  Rome  is  the 
enemy  of  Israel:  Rome  sits  on  her  seven  hills 
and  shakes  the  men  of  Judea  about  as  though 
they  were  dice  for  Her  pleasure. 

Tiberius 
Then  you  would  not  care  to  live  in  Rome? 

Elizabeth 

I  should  rather  live  in  the  bottomless  pit,  for 
there  at  least  I  should  be  safe. 

Tiberius 

I  thought,  perchance,  you  would  like  to  share 
Alceda^s  home  when  she  goes  to  Rome. 

Elizabeth 
Sir,  she  will  never  go  to  Rome ! 

Tiberius 

Impatiently. 

Waste  no  words!     Tell  me  of  Alceda. 


ACT  ni]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  143 

Elizabeth 
'Tis  that  I  came  to  tell. 

Tiberius 
Then  speak! 

Elizabeth  looks  around  carefully  to  be  sure  they  are 
alone,  then  sits  beside  Tiberius  and  speaks  in  a 
low  voice — but  with  startling  distinctness. 

Elizabeth 
Alceda  is  in  prison. 

Tiberius 

Alarmed. 

In  prison?     Where? 

Elizabeth 

Pointing  in  the  direction  of  JahdieVs  house. 

There — in  her  Father's  house,  in  a  cell,  a  dirty 
cell — Oh,  but  it  is  dirty — a  foul  place  be- 
neath the  eaves,  built  for  unruly  servants  of 
the  house!  My  dainty  darling,  with  her 
fragrant  ways!  She  who  must  ever  have  her 
linen  snowy  clean  and  bathes  herself  in  per- 
fume. 


144  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

Tiberius 
Interrupting. 

Is  she  sick? 

Elizabeth 
Continuing. 

Who  ever  binds  her  hair  with  sweet  smelling 
waters  and  perfumes  her  body  with  ointments 
of  the  rose. 

Tiberius 

Impatiently. 

Answer  my  question — is  she  sick? 

Elizabeth 
Could  she  be  well  without  me?     She  knows 
not  how  to  care  for  herself — she  knows  not 
how  to  bind  her  hair:  I  have  always  tended 
her — I  am  her  foster-mother. 

Tiberius 

With  tense  impatience. 

Woman,  I  have  waited  too  long  on  your  ever- 
lasting tongue — is  she  sick? 

Elizabeth 
My  tongue  is  but  given  me  to  make  things  plain 


ACT  ni]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  145 

— how  can  I  say  what  I  have  come  to  say  un- 
less I  use  my  tongue? 

Tiberius 

In  despair. 

Your  tongue  is  very  precious,  if  only  it  were 
not  so  long.     Tell  me  of  Alceda.     Is  she  sick? 

Elizabeth 

I  do  not  know — to-day. 

Tiberius 

Was  she  very  sick  yesterday? — ^the  day  be- 
fore?— any  day? — she  was  sick  five  days  ago, 
when  I  was  with  her  Father:  he  told  me  of 
her  fever. 

Elizabeth 

Five  days  ago? — ^No.  That  day  she  was  well, 
and  yesterday  she  was  well,  in  body,  but  her 
heart — Oh,  her  heart!  It  is  broken!  He 
dragged  her  from  me  and  locked  her  in. 
David,  the  servant  boy,  tried  to  save  her — he 
would  lay  down  his  life  for  Alceda — the  rescue 
was  planned:  I  waited  while  he  went  to  break 
open  the  door,  to  pick  the  lock.  He  can  do 
it:  he  is  a  sly  one — David! — no  one  knows  of 


146  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

the  many  locks  he  has  broken  open,  but  this 
time  I  was  glad  for  once  for  his  sly  tricks.  I 
waited  in  hiding,  holding  my  breath.  He  was 
caught  in  the  very  act  by  Jahdiel  and  Jahdiel 
had  no  mercy — Poor  boy !  Poor  boy !  He  is 
not  so  bad :  only  mischievous.  He  was  beaten 
until  he  was  near  to  death  and  then  he  was 
cast  out  into  the  street,  to  die.  I,  alone,  was 
left — I  watched  beside  Alceda,  whom  I  could 
not  see — I  lay  before  the  door  of  the  cell  and 
hushed  my  breath  to  listen — I  whispered  words 
of  comfort  through  the  door.  Every  night  I 
lay  on  the  stone  floor  before  that  barred  door 
until  dawn.  Last  night  Jahdiel  found  me  and 
sent  me  also  out  of  the  house.  Since  I  have 
gone,  Alceda  may  be  sick — I  cannot  tell — 
she  may  be  very  sick — she  may  be  dead. 
Elizabeth  begins  to  moan. 

Tiberius 

With  anger  in  his  eyes. 
Jahdiel  is  a  liar! 

Elizabeth 

Have  you  only  just  found  that  out,  to-day?     I 
have  known  it  a  long  while. 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  147 

Tiberius 

Five  days  ago,  he  told  me  Alceda  was  sick — 
to  wait  a  week,  then  come  to  him  again:  and, 
then,  I  might  see  Alceda. 

Elizabeth 
With  a  shrug  of  her  shoulders. 

And  before  you  come,  he  will  have  sent  her 
hence,  and  he  will  have  some  new  lie  for  you. 

Tiberius 

Ah !  Not  now !  Have  no  fear,  Elizabeth,  all 
will  be  well. 

Elizabeth 
You  do  not  know  Jahdiel,  the  Pharisee! 

Tiberius 
I  know  the  power  of  Rome ! 

Elizabeth 

Alarmed. 

If  you  bring  the  power  of  Rome  to  aid  you, 
Jahdiel  will  stab  Alceda  through  the  heart! 


148  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

Tiberius 

Anxiously. 

You  think  that? 

Elizabeth 

I  know  it!  Jahdiel  would  rather  hang  upon 
a  gibbet  as  high  as  Haman's,  than  not  have 
his  own  way — I  pray  you  do  not  bring  the 
soldiers  of  Rome,  for  in  the  hour  that  they 
come,  Alceda  will  surely  die! 

Tiberius 

Trying  to  keep  up  his  own  courage. 

Rome  has  other  ways  than  force,  my  friend. 
We  will  match  subtlety  with  subtlety.  I  must 
think — I  must  consider.  Stay  near  where  I 
can  find  you:  keep  me  informed  of  anything 
you  hear:  we  will  yet  save  her. 

Elizabeth 

Moaning. 

O  my  darling — my  little  lamb ! 
Tiberius 

To  himself. 

In  prison?     It  cannot  be!     The  very  bolts 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  149 

would  fall  away  before  the  strength  of  her  in- 
nocence ;  the  doors  would  open  to  the  power  of 
her  virgin  loveliness ! 

Elizabeth 

In  despair. 

Ough !     You  know  not  the  locks  and  the  bolts 
on  the  doors  of  the  house  of  Jahdiel,  the  Phari- 
see. 
Elizabeth  continues  to  moan. 

Tiberius 

Laying  his  hand  upon  her  arm. 

Be  comforted,  my  poor  woman. 

Elizabeth 
Considering  him. 

You  are  not  so  bad,  after  all,  for  a  Roman. 
Tiberius 

Taking  her  hand. 

I  love  Alceda,  you  love  Alceda.     Love  knows 

no  country,  no  class,  no  caste,  no  sect. 

Elizabeth 

With  a  suggestion  of  tenderness  in  her  voice,  which  no 
one  hut  Alceda  has  ever  heard  there  before. 

You  are  a  brave  gentleman:  you  are  comfort- 


150  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

ing  me,  when,  methinks,  you  need  comfort 
yourself. 

Tiberius 

Ah — that  I  do,  in  very  truth ! 

Tiberius  offers  her  a  purse. 

Here,  my  good  woman,  this  may  meet  your 
need. 

Elizabeth 

Drawing  back. 

I  thank  you.  Sir,  but  a  Hebrew  takes  no 
Roman  coin — A  Hebrew  needs  no  Roman  gold. 
I  have  many  friends  who  will  house  me  until 
I  find  work  to  do. 

Tiberius 

Give  it  to  David,  then:  he  will  take  it,  will 
he  not? 

Elizabeth 

Scornfully. 

David?     Ay!     He  would  take  the  dust  from 
off  the  shoes  of  a  Roman  if  it  did  advantage 
him:  he  has  neither  honour  nor  pride. 
Tiberius  thrusts  the  purse  into  her  hand. 


ACT  ni]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  151 

Tiberius 

Then,  give  it  to  him — give  the  gold  to  David 
and  let  him  be  your  messenger:  send  me  any 
word  that  you  may  hear  and  he  will  carry  word 
to  you — of  my  plans. 

Elizabeth 

Plans — ^plans?  It  is  as  well  to  make  barriers 
of  straw  before  the  wind  as  to  make  any  plans 
to  stay  the  hand  of  Jahdiel. 

Tiberius 

Woman,  the  outcome  of  our  plans,  the  outcome 
of  our  destiny,  is  on  the  lap  of  the  Gods. 
Jahdiel — your  Beelzebub  himself — cannot  stop 
what  is  to  be. 

Elizabeth 

Elizabeth  looks  at  him  sternly,   drawing  herself  up 
proudly. 

He  is  not  my  Beelzebub! 

Tiberius 
He  belongs  to  your  nation ! 


152  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

Elizabeth 
Ay,  that  he  does^ — and  you  would  believe  in 
him  if  you  knew  Jahdiel! 

Tiberius 
I  know  all  that  I  desire  to  know  of  Jahdiel. 

Elizabeth 
I  must  hence,  would  that  I  might  go  to  Alceda ! 

Tiberius 
Our  Destiny  is  safe  in  the  hands  of  our  Gods — 

Elizabeth 
Perhaps  that  means   somewhat  the  same   as 
The  Lord  God  will  lead  me. 

Tiberius 
It  is  the  same,  Elizabeth — all  true  religions 
are  the  same  at  their  hearts:  a  power  higher 
than  ourselves  to  trust — an  earnest  effort  to 
find  and  follow  the  Everlasting  God. 

Elizabeth 
You  are  a  kind  gentleman — I  do  not  wonder 
Alceda  loves  you.     Farewell. 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  153 

Tiberius 

Pray  to  your  God — and  I  will  pray  to  mine — 
and  Destiny  will  lead  us. 

Elizabeth  makes  a  low  obeisance  and  goes  off. 

Age  after  age  man  has  dreamed  of  God  and 
still  he  dreams:  age  after  age  man  has  sought 
for  Him  and  still  he  seeks.  Jupiter — Jehovah 
— it  is  the  same:  worship,  trust,  prayer,  serv- 
ice, reaching  out  for  help,  for  guidance.  Oh 
— would  that  the  great  Spirit  would  send  some 
Logos  to  teach  us,  some  manifestation  to  show 
us  the  best  way  to  go ! 


ACT  III 

SCENE  III 


ACT  III 

SCENE  III 

The  Day  on  which  was  Crucified 

JESUS  OF  NAZARETH. 

A  green  hill  without  the  walls  that  lie  around  the  City 
of  Jerusalem.  The  hill  is  bare  of  trees — the  City 
of  Jerusalem  can  be  seen  to  the  right  of  the  hill. 

A  seething  mass  of  people — soldiers,  peasants,  priests, 
profligates,  Publicans,  Pharisees,  Sadducees,  and 
men  of  the  Court,  women  and  children  are  con- 
stantly passing,  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill,  on  their 
way  to  Golgotha,  which  lies  beyond. 

On  the  hill  are  sitting  Tiberius:  Nicodemus — a  Ruler 
in  Israel:  Antiocles — a  Greek  philosopher :  and 
Marius — a  gay  Roman  courtier. 

The  confused  sounds  of  the  shouting  of  the  rabble,  the 
clanking  of  the  armour  of  soldiers  and  the  babble 
of  voices  can  be  heard  coming  from  Golgotha. 

Nicodemus 

Thoughtfully. 

This  is  a  day  of  wrath.     Rome  will  be  con- 
demned for  this  day! 

157 


158  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

Tiberius 

Rome  ?  Condemned  ?  Rome  will  not  bear  the 
burden  of  this  day.  It  is  your  own  High 
Priests  who  have  done  the  deed:  the  shadow 
of  it  will  rest  upon  the  Hebrew  Hierarchy. 
Pilate  has  washed  his  hands  of  it! 

NiCODEMUS 

He  who  washes  his  hands  of  a  bad  matter  which 
he  could  prevent  is  the  one  who  will  bear  the 
most  blame. 

Tiberius 

Considering. 

I  think,  perhaps,  that  that  is  true. 

Marius 

Speaking  in  a  light,  gay  voice. 

It  is  neither  the  High  Priests  nor  the  Romans 
who  do  this  deed — it  is  the  people.  They 
were  all  tired  of  the  pestilential  strife  stirred 
tip  by  this  Jesus.  Jews,  Romans,  Greeks, 
Barbarians,  the  Populace,  the  Rabble — ^they 
all  demanded  it!  I  do  not  blame  them.  He 
is  against  all  established  order,  even  of  His  own 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  159 

church — your  church,  Nicodemus — which,  at 
least,  keeps  the  peace. 

Nicodemus 

With  dignity. 

It  was  not  because  He  stirred  up  strife:  it  was 
because  He  told  men  the  truth :  men  do  not  like 
to  be  told  the  truth  about  themselves :  they  like 
better  to  be  thought  the  thing  they  profess,  the 
thing  they  claim  to  be,  but  this  Jesus  covered 
not  His  words :  He  spoke  clearly,  without  wax, 
and  so  they  all  wanted  to  be  rid  of  Him. 

Antiocles 

It  was  but  five  days  since  we  heard  them  shout- 
ing hosannas  to  Him  as  though  they  would 
make  Him  king — that  was  also  the  voice  of 
the  people. 

Tiberius 

And  but  now  they  shouted  "Crucify  Him!" — 
Bah!  the  voice  of  the  people  is  the  voice  of  the 
devil ! 

Antiocles 
A  certain  Greek  has  said  that  "the  voice  of  the 
people  is  the  voice  of  truth." 


160  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

Marius 

Smiling  sarcastically. 

Greece  has  many  things  to  learn,  Antiocles. 

Antiocles 
Lifting  his  eyebrows. 
From  Rome? 

Marius 

Politely,  with  suavity. 
Ay,  from  Rome. 

Tiberius 

Turning  to  Nicodemus. 

Nicodemus,  what  think  you  of  this  Nazarene? 

Nicodemus 
I  think  He  is  a  sincere,  a  righteous  man,  a 
prophet,  a  second  Isaiah,  with  this  added  power 
— He  comprehends  the  spirit  of  our  day  and 
generation. 

Tiberius 

Thoughtfully. 

I  have  weighed  His  words  and  it  seems  to  me 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  161 

He  comprehends  the  spirit  of  all  days  and  all 
generations — He  speaks  to  the  human  heart. 

Antiocles 

The  human  heart  is  ever  the  same  from  gen- 
eration to  generation,  wherever  the  country, 
whatever  the  time. 

Marius 

If  He  is  true  and  comprehends  our  times,  why 
do  so  many  men  think  that  He  is  mad? 

Tiberius 

Men  ever  think  that  he  who  has  a  vision  is 
mad.  It  may  be  that  His  words  will  last  when 
Rome  has  passed  away. 

Marius 

How  you  have  changed  of  late,  Tiberius! 
Your  constant  study  has  unsteadied  you: 
where  is  the  Tiberius  whose  life  was  all  gaiety 
and  mirth? 

Tiberius 

He  has  learned  somewhat. 

Sorrowfully,  looking  toward  Golgotha. 


162  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

We  sit  here  as  He  hangs  upon  that  cross — we 
are  as  impotent  to  help  as  little  children  in 
the  dark. 

Marius 
With  arrogance. 

He  is  but  the  son  of  a  carpenter — only  one  of 
the  common  toilers  of  the  earth:  wherefore 
is  the  noble  Tiberius  so  distressed? — It  is  but 
one  of  countless  deaths  that  take  place  every 
day. 

Tiberius 
Sharply. 

He  is  a  man  with  a  message  from  the  Gods — 
and  they  crucify  Him !  Would  to  God  I  could 
have  died  in  His  stead !     I  have  no  message. 

Marius 

Mystified. 

I  know  not  what  you  mean. 

Tiberius 
I  scarce  know  myself. 

NiCODEMUS 

I  thought  at  first  He  proposed  to  build  up  a 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  163 

kingdom:  He  had  great  power — the  people 
were  with  Him — they  desired  to  crown  Him. 
I  went  to  Him  by  night  and  questioned  Him: 
after  that,  I  concluded  that  He  had  no  thought 
of  earthly  preferment. 

Tiberius 

Eagerly. 

You  went  to  Him?     You  questioned  Him? 

NiCODEMUS 

In  a  puzzled  tone  as  if  scarce  understanding  the  words 
that  he  repeated. 

He  said — "Ye  must  be  born  again." 
Marius 

Laughing. 

"Born  again!"  Ha!  Ha!  Born  a  second 
time!  Is  He  a  jester — ?  It  were  a  difficult 
task  for  you  to  be  born  again — you  measure 
full  six  feet  in  height. 

NiCODEMUS 

Speaking  to  Tiberius  and  ignoring  Marius. 

I  asked  Him  how  that  could  be — and  He  said 
a  strange  thing. 


164  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  in 

Tiberius 
With  great  eagerness. 
What  said  He? 

NiCODEMUS 

Slowly  as  if  considering  the  words. 

He  said — and  without  doubt  He  spoke  as  one 
having  authority — "that  which  is  born  of  the 
flesh  is  flesh :  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is 
spirit." 

Marius 

Flippantly. 

"Bom  of  the  Spirit ! "  The  man  is  mad — ^be- 
yond doubt!  That  is  the  easiest  of  all  births 
— no  travail,  no  labour — 

NiCODEMUS 

If  I  understand  aright — it  is  the  very  hardest 
of  all  births:  the  birth  of  the  flesh  is  as  noth- 
ing to  the  throes  and  anguish  of  a  birth  of  the 
spirit:  one  has  to  struggle  with  all  the  forces 
of  evil — ^the  powers  of  the  Devil. 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  165 

Antiocles 

Thoughtfully. 

"Born  of  the  Spirit"  ?  That  is  a  subtle  thought 
— it  challenges  the  mind. 

Tiberius 

Aside. 

"Born  of  the  Spirit"?     I  understand  it  better 
than  I  once  would — since  I  have  loved  Alceda 
I  think  I  have  been  born  of  the  Spirit. 
Aloud. 

I  would  we  could  hear  His  words,  if  He  should 
speak,  but  we  are  too  far  off. 

Marius 

Turning  to  Tiberius  courteously. 

By  all  the  Gods,  Tiberius,  I  am  glad  that  you 
did  not  insist  upon  our  waiting  upon  the  hill 
of  Golgotha.  You  are  a  man  of  great  per- 
suasion, and  if  you  had  insisted  I  fear  we 
should  have  obeyed  you. 

Tiberius 
You  are  as  clay  in  the  hands  of  the  potter, 
Marius,  are  you  not? 


166  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

Marius 

With  the  air  of  a  courtier. 

When  the  noble  Tiberius  is  the  potter  then  am  I 
the  clay.  But  I  like  better  to  have  this  distance 
between  our  contemplation  and  the  crowd. 
The  Fates  preserve  us  from  that  rabble  by  the 
cross. 

Antiocles 
Thoughtfully,  looking  toward  Golgotha. 

That  cruel  crowd !  Those  idle  gazers !  That 
jeering  throng!  That  scoffing  multitude! 
For  a  fine  spirit,  that  must  be  the  bitterest  of 
all. 

Tiberius 

Eagerly  leaning  forward. 

Behold!  my  servant  comes  from  Golgotha:  he 
had  orders  to  report  to  me  if  the  Crucified 
should  speak. 

The  servant  enters:  they  all  turn  to  him  with  great  in- 
terest and  curiosity. 

The  Servant 

To  Tiberius. 

Sir,  He  has  spoken. 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  167 

Tiberius 

Quickly. 

What  were  His  words? 

The  Servant 

Evidently  much  affected. 

* 'Father,  forgive  them  for  they  know  not  what 
they  do." 

Tiberius 

Much  agitated. 

Did  He  say  that?    Heard  you  the  words  aright ? 

The  Servant 

All  those  who  stood  near  the  cross  could  hear 
the  words. 

Tiberius  makes  a  peremptory  motion  of  the  hand — exit 
the  Servant. 

Tiberius 

Emphatically. 

He  is  of  God — none  but  a  man  infused  with 
divine  power  from  Olympus  could  forgive  that 
dreadful  death — that  cruel  injustice — that  ig- 
nominy— that  horror — 


168  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

NiCODEMUS 
Sorrowfully. 
The  bitter  shame — to  a  son  of  Israel ! 

Marius 

With  a  shudder,  stroking  the  palms  of  his  soft  white 
hands. 

The  agonizing  pain  of  the  flesh! 
Antiocles 

Under  standingly. 

The  incomparable  pain  of  the  spirit ! 

Marius 

Sceptically  to  Tiberius. 

Tiberius,  if  He  be,  as  you  think,  endowed  with 
power  from  on  High,  why  then  does  He  not 
save  Himself? 

Tiberius 
I  know  not !     I  wish  I  knew. 

Antiocles 
This  may  be  the  way. 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  169 

Marius 
Curling  his  Up  scornfully. 
Death  the  way  of  salvation? 

Antiocles 

Self-sacrifice — ^the  way  of  immortality:  and 
immortality  that  has  been  won  by  a  great  deed 
— the  way  of  salvation. 

NiCODEMUS 
Turning  to  Antiocles. 

Antiocles,  verily  the  Greeks  have  much  sym- 
pathy in  their  thought  with  the  mind  of  Judea. 

Antiocles 

Sir,  the  Greeks  have  sympathy  with  the 
thought  of  all  nations:  Greece  was  never 
provincial. 

NiCODEMUS 

Your  word  matches  the  word  of  one  of  our 
Hebrew  kings  who  said:  "Great  deeds  bring 
immortality." 

Antiocles 
In  very  truth  they  do. 


170  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

NiCODEMUS 

This  is  a  great  deed:  to  have  authority  with 
the  people — and  to  forgo  it:  to  be  hung  upon 
the  bitter  cross — and  to  forgive  it.  Yea,  it  is 
an  immortal  deed! 

Upon  the  hilltop  no  one  speaks.  The  four  men  sit  in 
silence  looking  toward  Golgotha.  After  a  time 
the  servant  enters  again  swiftly — he  has  been  run- 
ning from  Golgotha. 

The  Servant 

Excitedly. 

His  God  has  deserted  Him!  His  God  has 
deserted  Him! 

Tiberius 

Sternly  and  eagerly. 

How  know  you  that?     What  were  His  words? 

The  Servant 

He  cried  with  a  loud  voice  so  that  all  men  could 
hear  Him — "My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  Thou 
forsaken  Me?"  and  His  face  was  sorrowful 
unto  death. 
A  look  of  bitter  disappointment  comes  over  Tiberius: 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  171 

he  makes  a  gesture  of  command  and  the  servant 
goes  back  to  Golgotha. 

Tiberius 

In  a  tone  of  deep  disappointment. 
He  is  only  a  man,  after  all. 

Marius 

Laughing  lightly. 

An  impostor — as  I  have  said  from  the  begin- 
ning. 

NiCODEMUS 

Decidedly  and  sternly. 

Were  He  an  impostor  He  would  not  have  said 
those  words:  He  would  have  measured  His 
words  for  the  record. 

Marius 
Pain  of  the  flesh  makes  men  cry  out. 

NiCODEMUS 
With  a  voice  of  authority. 

Were  it  the  pain  of  the  flesh  He  would  have 
cried  out  in  the  beginning.     I  thought,  per- 


172  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

chance,  He  would.  I  waited  for  it,  but  as  He 
did  not  cry  out  in  the  beginning,  surely  it  is  not 
pain  of  the  flesh:  the  agony  of  the  accursed 
crucifixion  is  the  very  sharpest  when  men  first 
hang  upon  the  cross  and  it  was  then  that  He 
said  those  divine  words  which  none  but  a 
Son  of  God  could  have  uttered — ^'Father, 
forgive  them  for  they  know  not  what  they  do" 
— ^pity  for  the  ignorance  of  His  murderers — 
pardon  for  their  cruelty — it  was  a  supreme 
triumph ! 

Tiberius 

Turning  impatiently  to  Nicodemus. 

Then  of  what  import  was  His  later  cry? 

Nicodemus 

It  may  be  that  His  flesh  is  growing  faint  and 
that  the  cloud  of  physical  darkness  falls  over 
His  spirit  as  it  falls  over  the  spirit  of  all  men 
in  dying.  It  may  be  that  pain  has  made  His 
mind  to  wander  and  the  old  Hebrew  songs  He 
learned  in  childhood  haunt  His  memory — 
one  of  our  Hebrew  songs  is  "Eloi,  Eloi,  lama 
sabachthani?"     It  may  be  that  His  great  soul 


ACT  ni]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  173 

would  lift  the  burden  of  the  world  for  others — 
the  suffering  and  the  sin — and  that  stupendous 
shadow  hides  for  a  moment  the  face  of  God. 
I  cannot  yet  judge — I  wait  to  hear  what  His 
final  death-word  will  be. 

Antiocles 
Aroused  to  keen  intellectual  interest. 

*Xift  the  burden  of  the  world  for  others?" 
That  is  a  majestic  thought! — Atonement — 
atonement  for  mankind! — but  it  is  not  a  new 
thought.  Sophocles  divined  it  long  ago:  he 
gave  us  a  mind-compelling  word. 

Marius 

Does  any  new  thought  come  to  us  that  Greece 
does  not  claim  it? 

Antiocles 

Is  there  any  old  thought  of  the  Grecian  philoso- 
phers that  Rome  does  not  arrogate  to  Herself? 
Nicodemus,  do  you  know  the  Antigone  of 
Sophocles  ? 

Nicodemus 
I  do  not  know  it. 


174  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

Antiocles 
In  his  Antigone,  Sophocles  says  these  words: 
^'One  soul  working  in  the  strength  of  love 
is  mightier  than  ten  thousand  to  atone." 
(  Thoughtfully. )  What  if  this  death  be  an  act 
of  love — love  for  the  world — a  desire  to  atone 
for  the  blindness — the  folly — the  sins  of  man- 
kind? 

Tiberius 

Aside y  looking  toward  Golgotha. 

I  had  not  thought  His  God  would  forsake  Him. 
I  had  not  thought  His  faith  would  falter — No, 
not  to  the  very  end! 

No  one  speaks  upon  the  hilltop — the  four  men  sit  in 
silence.  Marius  stretches  himself  upon  the  grass 
and  falls  asleep.  Nicodemus  lifts  his  hands  in 
prayer:  he  is  silently  saying  the  Hebrew  prayers 
for  the  dying.  Antiocles  sits,  wrapped  in  philo- 
sophic contemplation.  Tiberius  looks  toward 
Golgotha  with  tense,  almost  breathless  expect- 
ancy. Suddenly,  the  servant  enters  running:  he 
is  very  pale:  he  is  trembling. 

The  Servant 

In  a  broken  voice. 
Sir,  it  is  finished! 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  175 

Tiberius 

Tensely. 

Tell  us  of  the  end ! 

Marius  starts  up — Antiocles  and  Nicodemus  assume  a 
listening  and  attentive  attitude — Tiberius  is  in- 
tent and  eager. 

The  Servant 
I  never  looked  upon  so  great  a  thing! 

All 

Impatiently. 

Speak  i 

The  Servant 

I  stood  near  the  cross.  I  saw  all — I  heard  all : 
it  is  very  certain  He  is  no  shadow  lord — His 
dying  words  bring  proof  that  He  is  no  dreamer 
of  dreams — He  is  a  practical  man  like  unto 
other  men — ^there  was  a  word  for  the  care  and 
the  comfort  of  His  Mother,  as  any  man  might 
give:  there  was  a  cry  of  pain  from  parching 
thirst,  as  any  man  might  have  upon  the  cross: 
there  was  a  word  of  brotherly  compassion  and 
hope  to  the  thief  beside  Him — Think  of  it,  from 
a  teacher  to  a  robber!     Then  all  was  silent — 


176  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

even  the  rabble  had  somewhat  ceased  their 
clamour  for  a  space  and  then — 


Eagerly. 
And  then? 


Tiberius 


NiCODEMUS 


With  alert  interest. 
And  then? 

Marius 

With  careless  curiosity. 
And  then? 

The  Servant 

Then  the  cry — "It  is  finished.''  I  looked  up 
into  His  face:  it  was  as  beautiful  as  morning 
— on  His  lips  there  was  a  smile — a  smile  that 
hurt  me  here : 

The  servant  puts  his  hand  over  his  heart. 

a  wonderful  look  came  into  His  eyes:  it 
was  a  look  of  victory  as  though  He  had  con- 
quered all  the  battles  of  all  the  world,  and 
then  in  clear,  calm  tones  He  said  these  words 


ACT  in]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  177 

— ^'Father,  into  Thy  hands  I  commend  my 
spirit."  An  instant  passed:  He  bowed  His 
head  and  gave  up  the  ghost. 

Tiberius 

With  great  exultation. 

His  God  was  with  Him — at  the  end.  He  is 
true! 

NiCODEMUS 

Sharply. 

Did  you  doubt  it? 

Tiberius 

Yes,  when  He  said  His  God  had  forsaken  Him 
—I  did  doubt  it. 

NiCODEMUS 

Then,  least  of  all,  all  faith  is  stronger  for  a 
moment's  doubt — it  is  the  shadow  which  proves 
the  light — ^that  doubt  is  a  proof  of  His  hu- 
manity and  becomes  a  warrant  of  His  truth. 

Antiocles 

It  is  because  of  those  words  /  can  believe  Him : 
He  was  no  impostor,  no  actor,  but  a  real  man 


178  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

who  is  a  supreme  philosopher.  Those  words 
echo  the  heart  of  all  men  in  hours  of  agony — 
but  His  final  word  is  the  convincing  proof. 

Marius 

Sceptically. 

He  is  sure  of  His  God,  is  He  not? 

NiCODEMUS 

With  dignity. 

Sir,  we  of  our  race  are  ever  sure  of  our  God: 
He  f aileth  not. 

Marius 
But  this  Jesus  is  also  sure  of  Himself. 

Tiberius 

That  is  enough  for  me !  If  a  man  can  be  sure 
of  himself  as  he  goes  down  into  the  Shades — 
If  he  can  commend  his  spirit  with  calm  con- 
fidence to  Him  who  waits  beyond — it  is  enough. 

NiCODEMUS 

You  are  right,  Tiberius,  the  life  of  this  Naza- 
rene  is  vindicated  by  the  manner  of  His  death. 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  179 

Thoughtfully  to  himself. 

I  must  ponder  how  I  can  be  born  again! 

Marius 

After  a  brief  silence,  with  new  respect  in  his  tone, 
A  brave  man  has  died  this  day ! 

NiCODEMUS 
With  deep  sorrow. 

A  mighty  Master  has  fallen  in  Israel ! 

Antiocles 
With  conviction. 

A    great    Philosopher    has    passed    into    the 
Shades ! 

But  Tiberius  utters  no  word:  he  stands  motionless — his 
head  uncovered,  looking  toward  Golgotha.  A 
deep  darkness  slowly  descends  upon  the  earth: 
it  covers  the  hilltop  like  a  pall — the  earth  quakes: 
through  the  darkness  can  be  heard  the  shrieks  and 
the  groans  of  the  terrified. 


I-^^ 


ACT  III 

SCENE  IV 


ACT  III 

SCENE  IV 
Two  Hours  Later 

The  seat  by  the  roadside  as  in  Act  II,  Scene  I.  The 
great  veil  of  darkness  that  has  enwrapped  the 
earth  is  slowly  lifting — the  light  is  beginning  to 
break — the  hills,  the  bushes,  the  trees  and  the 
stone  seat  slowly  emerge  from  the  darkness  and 
take  form  in  the  shadowy  mist.  JahdieVs  house 
can  be  seen  in  the  distance. 

Tiberius  stands  in  the  shadows  and  looks  around  in  a 
bewildered  way — after  a  moment  he  gets  his  bear- 
ings and  knows  where  he  is — for  some  time  he  has 
been  walking  blindly,  through  the  darkness  and 
when  the  light  breaks  he  finds  himself  in  the 
familiar  place. 

Tiberius 

Thanks  be  to  all  the  Gods  that  led  me  here! 
Love  guided  my  feet.  The  Poet,  Cariston,  is 
right,  ''Love  walks  unscathed  upon  a  brazen 
sea  and  falters  not  in  darkness."     I  knew  not 

183 


184  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

where  to  turn  when  the  darkness  fell;  but  I 
followed  my  heart — 

Suddenly,  through  the  misty  twilight  that  still  covers 
the  earth,  he  sees  Alceda. 

O  Gods  of  Olympus! 
Aloud  in  glad  surprise. 

Alceda ! 

She  starts;  gives  a  long,  low  moan  and  runs  into  his 
arms. 

Alceda 

With  a  cry. 

Tiberius — Tiberius — What  is  it? — Where  am 
I? — ^What  has  befallen  the  earth? 
He  folds  her  in  his  arms  and  soothes  her. 

Tiberius 

You  are  safe,  Beloved!  Tremble  not,  my 
Flower,  the  earth  is  quiet  now:  the  darkness  is 
fast  lifting:  and  you  are  in  my  arms:  be  not 
afraid ! 

Alceda 

In  a  voice  of  terror. 

0  Tiberius,  I  am  afraid — I  am  sore  afraid — 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  185 

I  have  been  imprisoned  these  many  days  in  my 
Father^s  house — and  you  came  not — Oh!  you 
came  not — Suddenly,  all  grew  black  around 
me  and  the  earth  shook — I  trembled  in  the 
darkness — I  fell  upon  the  floor  and  lay  there, 
I  heard  around  me  crashes,  the  breaking  of 
beams,  and  fearsome  noises — I  thought  the 
house  was  falling  upon  my  head — a  long  time 
I  lay  frightened  and  terrified — then,  I  remem- 
bered that  I  was  not  alone,  that  the  Lord  God 
Omnipotent  was  with  me — He  quieted  my 
pulses  and  I  began  to  think — I  thought  of 
you,  Tiberius — and  the  awful  death  that  had 
so  affrighted  me  seemed  a  blessed  escape: 
surely  it  were  better  to  die,  than  to  live  apart 
from  you — and  my  Father  intends  never  to  let 
me  see  your  face  again. 

Tiberius 
Embracing  her. 

My  Beloved!  There  is  no  life  for  you  apart 
from  me,  any  more. 

Alceda 
Suddenly  the  darkness  began  to  lift  and  this 


186  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

gray  light  dawned :  I  arose  and  groped  my  way 
along  the  stone  wall  until  I  found  the  door. 
Thanks  be  to  Jehovah !  in  answer  to  my  prayer 
it  yielded  to  my  touch — the  bolts  and  the  lock 
had  slipped  back  when  the  earth  shook — I 
hastened  out — I  ran  from  room  to  room — I 
called  but  no  living  creature  was  there — my 
Father  was  gone — my  nurse  was  gone — ^the 
servants  were  gone — even  my  dog  was  gone — 
and  my  little  bird  was  dead  from  fright.  I 
ran  out  into  the  street — and  then,  I  ran  into 
your  arms. 

Tiberius 
That  is  an  omen,  Alceda. 

Alceda 
Verily  I  think  it  is. 

Tiberius 

Fate  would  not  let  the  prison  door  hold  you — 
I  said  the  bolts  would  fall  back  before  you. 

Alceda 
Tiberius — what  has  happened? 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  187 

Tiberius 


He  is  dead! 

Startled. 

Who  is  dead? 


Alceda 


Tiberius 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  1 

Alceda  hides  her  face  upon  Tiberius'  breast  and  clings 
to  him  in  the  half -darkness. 

Alceda 
Dead? — I  did  not  think  that  He  could  die! 

Tiberius 

Nor  can  He!  They  hung  Him  on  the  cross 
and  He  gave  up  the  ghost — but  He  is  not  dead. 
He  will  live  for  ever!  When  it  was  finished, 
an  earthquake  shook  the  earth  and  a  great 
darkness  fell. 

Alceda 

Pale  and  trembling. 

They  have  crucified  Him?  O  Tiberius — I 
cannot  bear  it ! 


188  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

Tiberius 

He  bore  it;  He  had  no  fear;  He  forgave  those 
who  crucified  Him  and  in  dying  He  commended 
His  soul  to  God.  My  Flower  of  the  Moun- 
tains, do  not  tremble  so. 

Alceda 
Tiberius,  you  believe  that  He  is  of  God? 

Tiberius 

I  know  not:  but  this  one  thing  I  know — there 
is  more  of  God  in  Him  and  in  His  words  than 
in  all  the  scholars  and  all  the  teachers  in  the 
world — that  is  enough  for  me. 

Alceda 

Laying  her  hand  softly  on  Tiberius*  arm  and  speaking 
with  sudden  dignity. 

Tiberius,  I  have  no  home,  no  name — my 
Father  has  cursed  me  and  cast  me  off — I  am 
no  longer  his  daughter. 

Tiberius 

That  is  well:  you  are  cast  out — therefore  your 
home  is  here:  you  are  not  your  Father's  daugh- 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  189 

ter  any  longer — therefore,  I  may  claim  you 
without  fear  to  you  of  breaking  the  law.  Be- 
loved, you  are  my  bride  and  though  Jahdiel  has 
cursed  you,  the  Nazarene — the  Man  from  the 
Gods — has  blessed  you.  Will  you  come  with 
me? 

A  glow  of  great  beauty  suffuses  her  wan  face. 
Alceda 

Giving  Tiberius  her  hand. 

I  will  go  with  you  to  the  edge  of  the  world  and 
I  will  go  over  the  edge  into  the  void  without 
fear,  if  you  hold  my  hand. 

Tiberius 

Kissing  her  hand. 

Beautiful  little  hand!     My  hand! 

Alceda 

0  Tiberius,  I  was  so  sore  afraid  and  just  when 

1  had  lost  all  hope  I  found  your  arms. 

Tiberius 

My  Flower  of  the  Mountains !  That  is  a  para- 
ble. 


190  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

The  mist  has  been  lifting  more  and  more — it  has  been 
growing  lighter — figures  can  be  seen  moving  about 
— suddenly,  Jahdiel  is  seen  hastening  down  the 
road. 

Alceda 

Alarmed. 

There  comes  my  Father! 

Tiberius 
Courage,  Alceda!     He  has  ceased  to  be  your 
Father  since  he  cast  you  off — ^leave  all  to  me. 
Jahdiel  comes  nearer. 

Alceda 

With  hesitation. 

My  Father!     O  my  Father! 

Jahdiel 

With  much  severity. 

Alceda,  how  came  you  here?     Back  to  your 

cell! 

He  approaches  Alceda  to  seize  her. 

Tiberius 

Stepping  between  Jahdiel  and  Alceda. 

She  is  a  Roman  matron  who  walks  when  and 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  191 

where  she  will!     In  very  fact  Alceda  is  now 
of  Rome:  she  is  my  betrothed  bride — we  but 
await  the  morrow  to  legalise  the  tie. 
Jahdiel  is  very  angry:  he  tries  again  to  seize  Alceda. 

Jahdiel 
She  is  my  daughter  in  the  law! 

Tiberius 
Sir,  she  is  no  longer  your  daughter:  you  dis- 
solved the  bond  when  you  cursed  her  and  cast 
her  off — from  that  hour  she  was  free :  an  earth- 
quake shook  Judea  when  you  crucified  the 
Prophet  Jesus ;  all  was  dark :  my  Gods  or  your 
God — whichever  you  will — led  me  on  through 
the  darkness  to  this  place :  here  I  found  Alceda 
wandering  alone,  without  protection,  and  she 
gave  herself  to  me:  she  is  now  my  wife,  wait- 
ing only  until  to-morrow  for  the  outward  form. 
I  draw  around  her  the  circle  of  Rome  and  if 
you  come  between  us  the  power  of  Rome  will 
deal  with  you! 
Alceda  stretches  out  her  hand  with  a  cry. 

Alceda. 
No — no,  Tiberius! 


192  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

Turning  to  her  Father  with  dignity. 

It  is  because  of  your  own  dreadful  words,  my 
Father,  that  I  am  here — you  made  me  an  out- 
cast and  an  outcast  is  free  to  go  where  she  will. 

Jahdiel 
Though  you  are  an  outcast  you  are  still  my 
daughter.     I  care  not  for  the  power  of  Rome! 
If  Rome  takes  you  from  me  it  shall  take  food 
for  carrion. 

He  draws  a  dagger  from  the  folds  of  his  garment  and 
rushes  toward  Alceda.  Tiberius  grasps  his  arm — 
they  are  both  of  about  the  same  stature  and  both 
power  fid  men;  they  wrestle. 

Alceda 

With  an  agonising  cry. 

O  Tiberius,  have  a  care!  He  is  my  Father! 
O  Father,  be  pitiful — I  love  him ! 

They  wrestle,  suddenly  a  shrouded  figure  runs  swiftly 
by. 

The  Shrouded  Figure 

Crying  in  a  loud  voice. 

The  Veil  of  the  Temple  is  rent  in  twain — the 


ACT  m]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  193 

Veil  of  the  Temple  is  rent  in  twain.     Jehovah 
save  us ! 

The  look  of  hostility  in  JahdieVs  face  changes  to  a 
look  of  paralysed  horror:  his  hand  drops  power- 
less at  his  side. 

Jahdiel 

In  an  awed  tone. 

Lord  God  of  Israel!     Have  mercy  upon  us! 

The  dagger  drops  from  his  powerless  hand  and  he  hur- 
ries after  the  shrouded  figure.  Alceda  begins  to 
tremble  violently. 

Alceda 

In  a  voice  of  terror. 

^The  Veil  of  the  Temple?"     O  Jerusalem! 
Jerusalem ! 

Tiberius 
Taking  her  hand  reverently. 

Fear  not,  Alceda — a  new  order  has  dawned 

upon  the  earth. 

'  ■■■  ■'..■■,"  '^-y 
Alceda 

In  much  agitation. 

You  do  not  understand,  Tiberius — you  are  not 


194  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  in 

a  Hebrew — the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  stood  be- 
hind that  Veil! 

Tiberius 

Pointing  in  the  direction  of  Golgotha. 

From  that  dark  cross  a  new  Covenant  is  made. 

In  the  distance  are  heard  the  voices  of  certain  holy 
women — followers  of  Jesus. 

The  Women 

Chanting. 

*'He  hath  sent  me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted 
— to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives  and  the 
opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound." 

Alceda 
He  has  opened  my  prison,  Tiberius ! 

Tiberius 

He  has  opened  it  to  happiness  and  home. 
Alceda,  will  you  come  with  me? 

Alceda 

To  the  end  of  the  world,  Tiberius,  and  into  the 
dark! 


ACT  ni]         WITHOUT  THE  WALLS  195 

Tiberius 

There  will  be  no  dark,  Beloved,  from  hence- 
forth, all  will  be  light,  rosy  light  for  you,  and 
for  me — with  you  beside  me.  All  now  is  well 
— you  are  safe,  your  Father  has  gone.  I  will 
take  you  to  the  house  of  a  noble  Roman  lady 
who  is  my  friend.  I  will  bring  there,  Eliza- 
beth, your  nurse. 

Alceda 
My  dear,  dear  nurse !     She  is  gone ! 

Tiberius 

I  will  seek  her — I  know  her  abiding  place. 
To-night  you  and  she  will  rest,  in  the  house  of 
my  friend — to-morrow  the  Laws  of  Rome  will 
make  you  mine,  and  then  we  will  set  sail  upon 
the  boundless,  beautiful,  blue  Sea :  we  will  sail 
and  sail  until  we  come  to  Rome !  I  will  spread 
flower-decked  curtains  above  your  head  and 
the  musicians  shall  play  to  you  as  the  boat 
moves  beneath  the  azure  sky — we  will  watch 
the  sparkle  of  the  sunshine  upon  the  sea — the 
wind  shall  sing  to  us — our  days  shall  be  full 


196  WITHOUT  THE  WALLS         [act  m 

of  gladness  and  at  night  the  friendly  stars  shall 
guard  our  nuptials. 

The  Women 

In  the  distance,  chanting. 

"To  comfort  all  that  mourn;  to  give  unto  them 
beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning, 
the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heavi- 
ness." 

Tiberius 
Tenderly. 

"The  oil  of  joy  for  mourning" — ^my  Beloved! 

Alceda 

With  a  glow  of  radiance  in  her  face. 
"The  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heavi- 
ness." 


THE  end 


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The  Mighty  and  the  Lowly 

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This  book  lays  emphasis  on  the  fact  that  Christ  belonged 
to  no  group  of  society;  that  he  did  not  attack  the  rich  as 
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author  combats  very  successfully  the  idea  which  has  had 
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class.  Her  main  thesis  is  that  everything  depends  upon 
what  people  are,  not  on  what  their  conditions  are,  and  her 
message  is,  that  social  reform  is  to  be  accomplished  not  by 
an  exploitation  of  class  interests  such  as  socialism,  but 
by  a  return  to  the  teachings  of  Jesus. 

"The  echo  of  Divinity  if  not  Divinity  itself.  A  cry  for 
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the  meanest  —  all  these  are  in  this  little  book." — Evening 
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most sublime  certainty." — Review  of  Reviews. 

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In  the  Vanguard 

A  Play  in  Three  Acts 

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Mrs.  Trask's  play  has  to  do  with  a  man  and  a  woman,  and  the 
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flict that  takes  place  between  the  man's  realization  of  the  true  value 
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loads of  tracts  and  numberless  conferences  to  bring  home  to  ardent 
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